People

Dot’s 93rd Birthday

Dot's 93rd Birthday

Dot’s 93rd Birthday

Tsai-Hong has originally planned to have us all over on Chinese (a.k.a. Lunar) New year on February 10. For a number of reasons, it got pushed back first to the 17th and then to the 24th. We did get together and celebrated mom’s 93rd birthday, as well. We don’t ever really need much of an excuse to get together and we should do it more often but of course everyone is busy and it’s hard to find a good date for everyone. As usual, mom made her own cake, her favorite angel food cake, which turned out marvelously. Tsai-Hong bought carry-out from Far East Restaurant and is was terrific.

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Jed’s First Birthday

Aria, Evan, Jed, and Maria

Aria, Evan, Jed, and Maria

We attended the birthday party for little Jed’s first birthday today and had a very nice time visiting with his parents and extended family. We’ve known Maria since she was a little older than Aria is now and have been blessed to watch her grow into the beautiful young woman she is. He wedding to Evan in 2019 was a lot of fun. Sadly they live too far away for us to see her very often, but we are happy for opportunities like this to get together.

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New Year’s Day

New Year's Day Gathering Participants

New Year’s Day Gathering Participants

Many January firsts since 2004 we have gotten together with Amy and her family. Other guests have varied over the years and we’ve missed a few years (like last year, when Cathy got Covid at the end of December). A few things have been very consistent, including having fondue for the meal. Today’s meal included both cheese fondue and chocolate fondue for dessert. We decided to forego the meat fondue because Jon smoked a large piece of beef instead. Choosing between smoked meat and meat fondue is something of a toss up, but we made a good choice. We also had two new attendees this year. Carly, Jon’s wife of about a year and a half and their little one graced us with their presence. It’s great to start a year off with a relaxing time catching up with friends, even if much of the conversation these days seems to be centered around caring for parents or personal medical issues. Regardless, here’s wishing you a very happy new year.

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Dot and Her Great Grandchildren

Kaien, Silas, Dot, and Eloise

Kaien, Silas, Dot, and Eloise

At about 2:00 PM my family started to arrive, starting with George and Carmela (and their dog Chester) who drove down from New Jersey and made better time than expected. The rest came between 2:30 and 3:00 and we have a very lively Christmas afternoon. Our meal this year was all sorts of appetizer-type things. Some might call them tapas but we prefer the name ‘what-nots’. There was considerably more food that the 15 of us could eat so plenty of leftovers. I had planned to make latkes and had already prepared the potato and onion batter but lost track of things and didn’t make them. I fried up a few the next day and they were terrific, but we really didn’t need them today. We didn’t take a whole-group photo but I did get some of mom on the sofa with her three great grandchildren, from left, Kaien, Silas, and Eloise.

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Christmas Morning

Margaret and Friends

Margaret and Friends

As we did last year, we took Christmas breakfast to Cathy’s mom. Also like last year, I made a quiche Loraine and it turned out quite well (it’s not really very difficult, to be honest). Today’s visit was a bit more hectic than last year, though, when it was just Cathy, Dorothy, and me. This year, Tam and No were visiting, having arrived shortly before us. Then Tam’s sister Dieu and her husband Henry and his aunt arrived while we were there. We don’t get to see Henry and Dieu very often, because they live in Florida. Tam and No were planning to leave for a visit to Vietnam tomorrow and Henry and Dieu towards the end of January. So, a very nice reunion but not really a quiet Christmas morning.

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Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

With my beard and wearing a red and white ‘Santa hat’ this morning I was asked if I would stand in for Santa in a picture with some friends’ kids. I was happy to oblige, of course. This evening we returned to church for our Christmas Eve service, which is a real favorite of mine. Sadly, there are more good Christmas hymns than there is time for in a service and some of my favorites are inevitably missed. We do end, as many churches do, with a song sung by candlelight. We sang Silent Night, where our former church ended with Joy to the World. I took pictures and of course without flash, had to set the camera at a high ISO. The pictures are naturally lower quality because of that but it gives them more of the feel of candlelight, anyway.

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Office Christmas Party

Bonn, Doris, Bill, and Cathy

After a few years without, during that whole pandemic thing, we had our first group holiday party last year and another one this year. In the past I’ve been parts of small groups that had parties. When I worked for Mike his group had a party and that varied in size from a dozen or more, down to a low of three of us. Then we were invited to go to the party for the group we supported and we did that for quite a few years. More recently the larger IT team directly supporting project work had a party. That was a larger group. Last year and this, however, it’s been a larger group again, this time including all the systems and other support groups. We are now call Technology and Digital Solutions or TDS, which sadly has the effect of sounding like tedious. These are a few of my not so tedious colleagues, Bonn, Doris, Bill, and of course Cathy.

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Roosevelt Island

Jim and Cathy on Roosevelt Island

Jim and Cathy on Roosevelt Island

Cathy’s brother Jim came for a quick visit. After we picked him up from the airport we had a little extra time before his and Cathy’s mom would be done with lunch so we stopped at Teddy Roosevelt Island and walked around it. Part of the way around we saw two of these shelter-like constructions made of collected branch pieces. I dont think they are official, National Park Service structures and may well be gone the next time we’re there. But it seemed like a good opportunity for an informal portrait of brother and sister.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

Where the Northwest Branch Rock Creek goes under Muncaster Mill Road the Kengla House Trail heads upstream. We seem to go there right around this time of year fairly regularly. We happened to go there again today. It’s not the most exciting trail around, but it’s nice. The worst part is where it goes under the ICC (MD route 200). Our favorite part is a little ways beyond that where a side stream goes between two huge sycamore trees. Whenever we head this way, I take pictures of Cathy leaning on one or the other of those trees. You can see two pictures from Friday, December 31, 2021. This year the sun was out so I had to move her into the shadow of the tree to get a better picture.

From there we continued upstream until we got to Norbeck Meadows Neighborhood Park where we crossed another side stream and then headed back. There were a lot of dogs out today, which Cathy enjoyed. One border collie wasn’t as happy to see me as we initially were to see her and she lunged at me, whacking me in the leg before her owner pulled her back. But no real harm done, thankfully.

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Rob’s Birthday

Rob's Birthday

Rob’s Birthday

When we moved back here after living in England I was going into eighth grade. In many ways it was like moving to a new town, even though I had lived in the same house until only 14 months before. One of the people I met was Rob and we’ve been close friends ever since. It was really nice to spend the evening with Rob, his lovely wife Susie, and a large handful of their closest friends. I only knew a few of them and those not very well, but I enjoyed talking with them, regardless. This is Rob and Susie with three of those friends who were able to come.

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Rat Gallery DC #2

Rat Gallery #2

Rat Gallery #2

Back on September 30, Rat Gallery DC had their inaugural event. Tonight was their second and the turnout was very encouraging. For the first event, some people came, I’m sure, out of devotion to Dorothy, Rachel, and Katharine, the artists but also the organizers of the event. Tonight’s show featured three other artists and was even better attended than the first. While taste in art is about as varied among people as is taste in food, one can appreciate even what one might not pick to fit their home decor. So, while I wasn’t tempted to buy anything this time, I did enjoy the art and the people. Naturally I took photos. I could only wish it were a little easier to get to North Capital and O Street, Northwest. But it was definitely worth the effort. The next show, I believe, is in early February.

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Cathy and Henry

Cathy and Henry

Cathy and Henry

A few weeks ago I agreed to take portraits of folks at church for a new photo directory. It’s been quite a while since we had one and there have been significant changes since then, including pictures with children who are now young adults. Each Sunday I set up a mini-studio in one of the offices and took three to five photos of each family, couple, or individual (generally more for the larger families since it’s more likely that there will be closed eyes the more people there are). I had Tammy press the shutter release for me to get our photos and I think they turned out pretty well. So, here we are.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

Cathy and I took the day off work today, as many people do the day after Thanksgiving. It was a pleasant, overcast day and we drove out to the Rachel Carson Wildlife Management Area on Zion Road in Brookeville for a walk. The trail we took starts along a field scattered with American persimmon trees (Diospyros virginiana). Then we headed down into the woods where we heard but never saw a barred owl (Strix varia). Eventually we reached the Hawlings River, which is nice as it tumbles over rocks. As we ascended from the river on the Greenway Trail we came upon a large outcropping of boulders which appear to be mostly quartz. This is one of a series of photos I took of Cathy on those rocks.

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Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Iris and Seth hosted our family Thanksgiving feast this year and it was quite a feast. While I confess to being indifferent to turkey and while most of the sides are high in carbs, taking them off my regular diet, it is still a meal I enjoy. That’s more for the family I’m blessed to have than for the food itself. With three little kids in the house, it’s not necessarily a time for quiet chats but it’s still good to get together as a family. We missed having George and Carmela here, but they plan to come down for Christmas.

I made green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with oranges and marshmallows, and a fruit salad. Tsai-Hong also brought various fruits and amazingly, with my five fruits and her four, there were no duplicates. After the turkey came out of the oven and I could get some of drippings from that I made the giblet gravy, as well. The turkey was quite large and of course there was more than enough for everyone with leftovers to take home with us. There was dressing with chestnuts, peas, salad, bread, broccoli, and two types of cranberry sauce. Mom brought cake and Steve made both pecan and apple pies and of course there was ice cream. Trader Joe’s had a sparkling, rosé tea that Iris bought, which was really nice (but sadly appears to have been a one time thing).

It took two pictures to get everyone in.

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Abba and Hannah

Abba and Hannah

Abba and Hannah

Abba, Hannah, and Sean’s visit ended today. I’m taking directory photos at church so I had to be there but the rest all went to see grandma again. She seemed a little confused but enjoyed having them there. They sang to the birds again. They got home about the same time I did. Before we took them to the airport I took a few pictures and this is my favorite, of the two sisters. With Abba not in the Chicago area, they get to see each other more often but we don’t get to see Abba as much as we did when she was in New England.

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Visiting Grandma

Visiting Grandma

Visiting Grandma

As mentioned in the last two posts, Abba, Hannah, and Sean are visiting from Illinois and Dorothy has come down from Pennsylvania. We had a nice dinner last evening with their grandma and we went back to see her this morning. We went outside for a bit and I took a group picture with the camera on a tripod so I could be in it. Then Abba pushed her grandma around outside but we didn’t stay out too long because it was a bit windy and chilly.

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Dinner with Grandma

Dinner with Grandma

Dinner with Grandma

Last night Abba, Hannah, and Sean arrived from Chicago. Abba, Sean, and I had to work today. Cathy normally has Friday’s off but she had to work some, as well. Dorothy was here, though, and she hung out with Hannah and the rest of us were here, working on our various laptops. I had cooked shrimp, salmon, broccoli, and rice for dinner and it all turned out pretty well. The shrimp were a little spicy, cooked briefly in a little hot oil infused with chili peppers. We went out into the living room and Margaret sang to the cockatiels a little. We left with promises to return tomorrow.

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Sean, Abba, Cathy, and Hannah

Sean, Abba, Cathy, and Hannah

Sean, Abba, Cathy, and Hannah

Two of Cathy’s nieces, Abba and Hannah, and Hannah’s boyfriend Sean came for a visit. We picked them up at the airport and as usual, I took a few pictures while we were there. Abba had planned to come when her dad came back in September but at the last minute had to cancel. At the time she said she’d do her best to come, and here she is, with Hannah and Sean thrown in for good measure. This was the first time we’d met Sean but he fit right in and we had a really good time with them all.

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Cathy On The Potomac River

Cathy On The Potomac River

Cathy On The Potomac River

We drove to Pennyfield Lock today and walked up stream past Blockhouse Point. We took a few detours off the towpath, heading down to the river. First we went around one of the artificial ponds between the canal and the river that were built, I believe, in the early part of the 20th century. We got off the towpath again north of Blockhouse point and that’s where this pictures was taken, sitting on the rocks on the side of the river. The river is quite low, even for this time of year, but I suspect we’ll start getting rain again soon and it will be back up.

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At The General Omar Bradley Oak

Seth, Silas, Tsai-Hong, Iris, Eloise, Kaien, Dot, Cathy, Dorothy, and Henry

Seth, Silas, Tsai-Hong, Iris, Eloise, Kaien, Dot, Cathy, Dorothy, and Henry

We had a beautiful day at the farm with most of the family. The weather was amazing and it was really nice to be together. We walked to the big oak tree. Our neighbors named it the General Omar Bradley and we’ve adopted that name ourselves. We don’t know how old it is but it’s almost certainly over 200. The three kids each enjoyed sawing firewood (not from the oak) and we had a nice meal. We also walked in the orchard to see all the clearing work that’s been done.

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Rat Gallery

Rat Gallery

Rat Gallery

Dorothy and her friend Rachel had a little art show the evening in the first Rat Gallery exhibit. Getting down to the gallery on O Street NW was not enjoyable, but we got there eventually and found a parking space without any trouble. The even was in full swing by the time we got there and it got even busier while we were there. I’d say for a first opening it was a success. I chatted briefly with Rachel’s parents, who had come down from New Jersey for the show. I also enjoyed talking with Katharine, our host and Dorothy’s friend from yoga teacher training. All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening.

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Margaret’s 97th Birthday

Margaret’s 97th Birthday

Margaret’s 97th Birthday

Jim came for his and Cathy’s mom’s 97th birthday. We decided the best thing to do would be to bring a feast to her room. So, I made qaubili pilau, an Afghan rice dish (where the French got the word pilaf). It’s traditionally served with lamb but Margaret has never been crazy anout lamb. She usually made it with chicken but, again, she gets a lot of chicken where she is. So, I made flank steak. Not traditional but really good. I also made my fist ever flan, which if I say so myself, was pretty darned good.

Jim’s Daughter, Abba, had planned to come but she couldn’t at the last minute. She and her sister, Hannah are planning to come in November, though.

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A New Home

Andrew, Rachel, Anna, and Dorothy

Andrew, Rachel, Anna, and Dorothy

Dorothy’s friends Andrew and Rachel, two of the three friends who have been roughing it with her in Pennsylvania, have bought a house. It’s just under 5 miles by road (and about 4.4 miles as the crow flies) from the farm. They settled yesterday and began moving in. Cathy and I went up to see them today and to help with some cleanup work in and around the house. They pulled up the carpeting in the living room and one bedroom, which was a good idea in the long run but resulted in some additional work in the short run. Nevertheless, it’s a cute little house and, especially compared to where they’ve been living for about two months, it’s luxurious, with actual electricity and running water! There was no refrigerator, but they’ve ordered one and it should be delivered in two days. That, alone, will be a big treat. There isn’t central air conditioning but a window unit keeps the downstairs reasonably comfortable. And, there’s a really nice swing set in the yard.

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Farm Work Day

The Pond

The Pond

Tony, Thea, Anna, and Andrew

Tony, Thea, Anna, and Andrew

Dorothy organized a work day today at the farm. If you haven’t heard about the farm, then you should know that, although we call it that, it’s probably not what you are picturing. My parents bought the property almost 59 years ago and it had been part of a working farm, with five fields. Since them, however, although we’ve continued to call it the farm, it’s never really been one. Three of the fields have entirely grown up with trees. Two of them are filled with trees specifically planted by my parents, including Japanese larch, white pine, and Norway spruce. One field was my dad’s ‘orchard’ and even that title may be misleading. In this part of the country there are orchards all around. But those have rows upon rows of trees. Dad’s orchard had a little of everything, with half a dozen apple trees, a few peaches, plums, pears, and various other fruit trees and shrubs. He also planted nut trees, including Turkish and American hazelnuts (Corylus colurna and C. americana, Persian walnut (Juglans regia), and Chestnuts (both Chinese, Castanea mollissima and hybrid Chinese and American, Castanea dentata). Since dad’s passing, the orchard has become significantly overgrown. The final field, which we usually call the picnic field, is still mostly clear but dad planted specimen trees of various sorts.

Today’s work day was focused mostly on clearing the orchard and we made a really good start. There were ‘weed trees’ four or five inches in diameter that needed to be cut down, along with lots of vines, multiflora roses, and Elaeagnus. We did our best to cut back the hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta), keeping much of it but not wanting it growing up into other trees. While this was going on, we had a tree guy cutting a few larger trees, including one large maple tree that was leaning over the cabin.

The first picture here is of the pond with the cabin in the background. The second is four of the 36 or so people we had working here today.

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Third Cousins

Third Cousins

Third Cousins

We celebrated Eloise’s birthday on our second day (first full day) at the beach. Iris made a cake, we had ice cream, and mom had brought a lemon cake, as well. In addition to the immediate family in our house, my cousins and their families came over from the two units next to us. My cousins’ grandchildren are third cousins to Eloise, Silas, and Kaien. There are more but this is everyone that came to the beach this year. As you might imagine with this many kids, it got a bit loud at times, but I think everyone had a good time.

It doesn’t seem that long ago that the parents of these kids, the generation after mine, were this age. Time really does fly. We’ve been coming to the beach since I was a little one like this, although the specific beach changed a few times. Early on we went to Myrtle Beach. I seem to remember once or twice going to the outer banks. Then we would camp at Huntington Beach State Park, south of Murrells Inlet (which is south of Myrtle Beach). I’m not sure I could camp at the beach now, as used to air conditioning as I am. But that’s what we did. It’s been Ocean Isle Beach for quite a while now.

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Cathy’s Flowers

Cathy's Flowers

Cathy’s Flowers

The summer blooming period has really gotten underway at our house. That mostly includes black-eyed Susan and tiger lilies, both seen in this photo with Cathy. These are in the front yard. It’s our largest stand of tiger lilies which originally came from bulbils collected from my dad’s plants in Bethesda. We have a few in other parts of the yard, near the top of the driveway and on the south end of the house and every year there are a few more. This bunch it the most impressive, though, being right out by the road.

The black-eyed Susans here are a relatively small bunch compared to what is in the back yard. I like them, although we could have about half as many and still have enough. They are fairly aggressive and even Cathy has taken to pulling a few up each year. There are about 25 recognized species of Rudbeckia. Most of ours are probably Rudbeckia hirta, native to our region and the state flower of Maryland. Some of the others, with similar flowers, are less aggressive and might be a better alternative, if you don’t want a yard full of them.

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Family Reunion

Family Reunion

Family Reunion

Mom and I went down to North Carolina for our annual family reunion today. It’s a bit of a trek but we both enjoy it and we’re glad we went. We left mom’s at about 6:30 and didn’t have any problems with traffic, so we got there a bit early, but that’s better than sitting in traffic. We spen the night after the reunion with mom’s cousin and returned home the next day. That makes the whole thing more relaxing and consequently more fun. I’m pretty fortunate in my family. Unsurprisingly I am closer to and get along with some more than others but as a group, they’re a good bunch.

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Rainforest Walk

Brian, Cathy, and Dogs

Brian, Cathy, and Dogs

Cathy, Brian and I took a walk with the dogs through Switzer Meadow and then on a loop beyond Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School. Most of that later trail is in the woods, some of which is relatively young. The whole area was probably clear cut less than 100 years ago, so there are few if any trees older than that. Some areas seem to be pretty scrubby and one area looked like it was a homeless camp or party spot not too many years ago. It’s hard to tell because wood decomposes very quickly in this wet environment. It’s still a pretty walk for the most part and we enjoyed being out with the dogs.

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Granite Basin Hike

Ebner Falls from Perseverance Trail

Ebner Falls from Perseverance Trail

Cathy and Henry in Front of Granite Cataract

Cathy and Henry in Front of Granite Cataract

Granite Basin

Granite Basin

Lisa, Brian, and Cathy Hiking Down from Granite Basin

Lisa, Brian, and Cathy Hiking Down from Granite Basin

We took a long hike today. It was overcast and threatening rain but we only actually had a little drizzle for part of the hike. We started at the end of Basin Road. There are two branches at the lower end of the Perseverance Trail. The one we took is shorter but steeper. There is a door covering an entrance to the Ebner Adit and a very cool wind was coming out of it. I found that useful when we returned, because I was fairly warm. The first part of the trail is fairly steep and by the time you get to Ebner Falls, the first photo presented here, you’ve climbed 815 feet in about 0.7 miles, an average grade steeper than 1:5, although parts are closer to 1:3. The trail gets a bit easier at that point. You cross Gold Creek a few times and eventually get to the Granite Basin trail.

We passed a work crew on the trail. The near side of Gold Creek has been undermining the trail a bit so they were building gabions and filling them with rocks to stabilize the bank. It looked like hard work. One of them noticed my camera. I was carrying my 150-600mm zoom with the camera on it, mounted on a monopod. I also had two additional lenses, my 100mm macro and the 17-40mm zoom. She asked, “Are you going on a photo shoot?” Laughing to myself, I said “No, just taking pictures of whatever we see.“ She asked if I wanted to take their picture and when I said I would if they wanted, the all got excited. I took a few shots of them and got an email address to send them to. Oh, they also complemented my hat, which they said was ‘sick’ (which I’m pretty sure they meant as a compliment).

About a mile and a half up that trail, you take the left fork to stay beside Gold Creek. Another 0.6 miles or so and the Granite Basin Trail branches off on the left. This starts with five switchbacks and climbs quite steeply. After that the climb is a bit more moderate. We got to a point where there was a large snow drift covering both the trail and the entire value below the trail, with the stream going under it. Eventually we got to the cataracts below Granite Basin and stopped for a few pictures. We continued up into the basin but didn’t really go much further than that.

We had climbed from about 370 feet to about 1,750 over the course of about 4 miles (and then back again, totaling about 8 miles). It’s a beautiful hike and Granite Basin is really pretty. I remember the first time we hiked there the fireweed was in bloom, which was particularly nice. It’s not the easiest hike in the Juneau area but it’s one of my favorites. If you don’t mind a bit of exercise (and possibly crossing a bit of snow if you aren’t late in the summer) then I highly recommend this hike. It’s not a bad idea to bring water and a snack. The weather can be significantly different in Granite Basin from what it is at the start of the trail.

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Cathy, Point Louisa

Cathy, Point Louisa

Cathy, Point Louisa

When you decide to go to Juneau, you are making a tacit agreement to deal with rain. Depending on your source, there are between 180 and 235 days of rain per year in Juneau and there are only about 80 days described as ‘sunny’ per year. With the average high temperature in July, the hottest month, being only 64.1° it’s not the place to go to get a tan. That being said, we arrived late in the day on June 17 and didn’t have any rain the entire first week. Today was the first day we had to walk in the rain if we were going to walk. We drove with Brian, Lisa, and the dogs out to Auke Rec and walked to Point Louisa. The tide was out and this picture of Cathy gives you an idea of what the day was like. Actually, it wasn’t raining hard and we had a really good time being out. The tides in Juneau are pretty significant and where we were standing when this photo was taken will be under quite a few feet of water at high tide. The rocks are covered with barnacles and there are quite a few mussels, although not as many as on the rocks around Shaman Island, where we walked to on the 19th.

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Rock Balancing

Brian and Henry, Balancing Rocks

Brian and Henry, Balancing Rocks

As you might guess, although I take most of the pictures with my camera, Cathy took this shot. We had driven to the end of the road and then walked to the shore just past Echo Cove. This is as far as you can drive from downtown Juneau. It was sunny and hot, which is unusual for Juneau, but we enjoyed being out. Cathy and Lisa were down near the water and Brian and I sat higher on the rocky beach and started balancing stones. It’s a fiddly thing but soothing in its own way. We each managed to get a respectable cairn built and Cathy took a few pictures as we worked on our final stones. The horse flies started to bother us, so we headed back to the car and back to town for the evening.

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Dinner in Bethesda

Dorothy, Jan, Suzie, Cathy, and Rob

Dorothy, Jan, Suzie, Cathy, and Rob

Our friend Jan was in town for an event in Annapolis and were were fortunate enough to be able to get together for dinner with her and Rob and Susie. We talked about different locations and settled on Hawkers Asian Street Food on Bethesda Row. The lighting was a bit rough but I didn’t want to use a flash, so I did my best. Don’t make any assumptions based on skin tones, everyone is fine. The food was good to great and we had a wonderful time visiting. We feel so fortunate to have such good friends and only wish we got together more often. But life is like that sometimes. So we take what we can get and we’re grateful.

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Dinner with Friends

Mike, Krystal, Suzanne, Johnnie, Chrissy, Henry, Cathy, and Pam

Most of my photography is of plants, animals, or scenery but I do take pictures of people and events. While people-pictures are not my favorite photos in artistic terms and I definitely don’t consider myself a portrait or event photographer, that is definitely not a reflection of how I feel about my friends, family, or even acquaintances. These are some good friends. Mike and Krystal, in particular, we have known for upwards of 20 years and we don’t need much of an excuse to see them. The others in this photo we’ve only gotten to know relatively recently, but they are becoming good friends. It’s good to get together with friends from time to time, either to celebrate a birthday as we did this evening, or just to get together and talk and laugh, which we also did this evening.

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Hannah and David

Hannah and David

Hannah and David

Cathy and I were honored to be invited to Hannah and David’s wedding today. Interestingly, I got a call at about 11:00 this morning from one of the bridesmaids saying they were not going to have the wedding recorded. It was a bit of a last minute thing, but Elizabeth wanted to know if I would be able to supply some equipment to video it. Naturally I was happy to help and brought my old camera (Canon EOS 60D) and a tripod. We got it set up and I gave Christian about 10 minutes of training. The resulting video isn’t anything to write home about, but at least it exists and the audio is actually pretty good. I realized afterward that I should have brought my MP3 recorded and put that somewhere as well, but by then it was too late.

There were photographers taking photos but naturally I took a few myself. They won’t compete with the professional shots, but maybe I got a few angles they missed. Most of mine were taken at the reception, but I did take a few during the wedding ceremony itself. Here are Hannah and David, the happy couple.

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Dorothy and Friends

Bobby, Jackson, Megan, Grace, and Dorothy

Bobby, Jackson, Megan, Grace, and Dorothy

Dorothy had some friends in town for the weekend. Meg and Jackson arrived on Thursday evening and Dorothy brought them to our house to spend the night. Then on Friday they picked up Bobby and Grace and did some things downtown before heading out to some friends’ house on the bay. Friday and Saturday were cool and quite web, but then Sunday the weather turned sunny and beautiful (not that rain isn’t nice in its own way). They returned to our house late Sunday afternoon (today) and I fixed dinner for them. Before we ate, they posed as a group for a few pictures with the forsythia as a back drop.

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Dorothy and Dodgy

Dorothy and Dodgy

Dorothy and Dodgy

It was a busy day today. Dorothy and a friend of hers came and we helped Yvette move two things out of her parents’ condo. We got a sleep sofa into the van and put a bookcase on the roof rack. Getting the sofa through the doors was a tight fit but we managed. Then I went to the office for a few meetings and for the retirement party for my boss’s boss, Marsha. I took pictures there but thought I’d post this one, instead, taken in the evening of Dorothy and Dodgy. I’m not actually sure how they spell the dog’s name. It’s really ‘doggy’ as mispronounced by their young daughter.

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Dot’s Birthday

Dot's Birthday

Dot’s Birthday

The locals gathered for mom’s birthday late this afternoon. Tsai-Hong was good enough to offer to host. She ordered food from The Big Greek Cafe and Cathy and I picked it up (since it’s so close to our house). As usual, there was a bit of noise from the younger generation, but I think a good time was had by all. From left to right: Dot, Iris, Tsai-Hong, Seth with Eloise on his lap, and Dorothy (plus the top of Silus’ head in the lower right). The others were all outside the frame of the photograph.

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Cathy at Brighton Dam

Cathy at Brighton Dam

Cathy at Brighton Dam

We decided to walk around below Brighton Dam and Triadelphia Reservoir today. It was lovely out, although cool. We saw a heron on the river (the Patuxent), who flew downstream as we got closer. Later, when were were further down, we saw the heron again wading in the water with a few Canada geese (Branta canadensis) paddling around the same area. There were lots of little birds in the underbrush, as well. But I only had my 17-40mm lens, so close ups were not possible. On the far bank, camouflaged in the dried grass and weeds, was a fox. That was a treat. I can see it in a few of my photos but so small that it’s not worth posting any of those.

Cathy posed for me on this stone as we walked back up towards the parking area. Across the street from the parking lot and visitor center is the Brighton Azalea Garden, dedicated to Raymond W. Bellamy, Sr., the Chairman of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission from 1951 to 1955. “Mr. Bellamy took the first steps to start plantation of flowering trees and azaleas on the perimeter lands of this water supply lake. His idea ultimately blossomed to become this garden and offer this scenic by-product for the pleasure of the public.” At this point, it’s just evergreen shrubs. But come the spring, it’s really something to see.

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Cutting Stumps

Henry, with Chainsaw

Henry, with Chainsaw

I spent the day with Dorothy at Rocklands today. She has been clearing the undergrowth from an old fence line for a good while. It’s almost a quarter of a mile long and was quite overgrown in places, so it was a big job. Most of the brush has been cleared but some stumps needed to be cut closer to the ground. That was my task. This Stihl chainsaw was my dad’s and I’m very comfortable with it. It’s on the small side (only a 16″ bar) but for this sort of work, that’s actually better than something larger. As I get older, my upper body strength is a bit less than it used to be, as well, so if it were heavier, I’d give out that much sooner. I have it in for servicing a few weeks ago and it starts up very easily and runs very well.

While I worked on stumps, Dorothy pulled out the old fencing. It’s rusted and in places buried, going through an occasional tree. Getting all of that out is a big job. After I finished with the stumps (except for those I assume are still under the piles of brush) I moved Dorothy’s piles of wire to one spot where they can be loaded onto a truck and hauled away. It was a tiring day’s work but nice to be outdoors and away from the office.

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Another Christmas

Kaien, Eloise, and Silas

Kaien, Eloise, and Silas

After this morning’s breakfast and Christmas celebration with Margaret, we came home for a little while and then went to Dot’s for our second Christmas celebration, with the other side of the family. There were more people at this one, including these three lovely children (Dot’s great grandchildren), Kaien, Eloise, and Silas (from left to right). Although they were a little rowdy, they were not overly so, and a good time was had by all. We changed our menu from our traditional enchiladas and this year we had a taco bar as well as some baked salmon. That makes it easy for each person to customize the meal to their own preferences and dietary restrictions. We are very glad to have our family and enjoyed being with everyone on this special day.

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Christmas with Margaret

Christmas with Margaret

Christmas with Margaret

We had Christmas breakfast with Margaret today. Last night after we got home from the Christmas Eve service I made a quiche. This morning we took that, as well as croissants, orange juice, sparkling cider, and a few other things to Margaret’s room. We put a recording of a fireplace on her television and hung the stockings from the dresser, with presents laid out under them. It was a very festive and enjoyable time. David and Darius called shortly after this photo was taken and then after we ate, we opened presents.

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Christmas Eve Service

Singing By Candlelight

Singing By Candlelight

We went to the Christmas Eve service at Fourth this evening, opting for the 7:00 PM service instead of staying up for 11:00 PM as we did last year. It was a good service with good songs to sing and of course a message on the Christmas story. We are all so familiar with the story that it’s easy to take it for granted. But when the story was recorded, it was really not what you’d have expected. That is, it’s not your typical birth-of-a-king story. In fact, most of the story of the life of Jesus is different to what you might expect. We forget that because it’s so familiar. To me, this lends credence to the story rather than the opposite. If someone were simply making up a story, this is not what they’d come up with. It’s one of the reasons I believe it really happened this way.

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Santa’s Visit

Santa and Margaret

Santa and Margaret

We were visiting Margaret today when Santa came to her building. At first she didn’t want her picture taken but eventually she decided it would be alright. There was Christmas music being played on the piano in the living room while residents took their turns with Santa (and his dog, Mrs. Paws). After Santa left, presumably to visit the other buildings, the music continued and the residents enjoyed singing along. I also got some nice photos of Wil in his Naughty/Nice Christmas sweater.

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Live Nativity

Live Nativity

Live Nativity

I’ve posted photos a few times from the worship night’s that Dorothy organizes. This week we had a live nativity. No farm animals this time, but everyone was encouraged to come dressed as someone from the nativity story. Amanda read the story and when your character was introduced, you went up to the manger to play your role. Between the readings, we sang Christmas songs that celebrated the part of the story just read. This is the band, who lead the singing. From left to right, Andrew, Dorothy, Adam, Michael, and Greg. I think it was safe to say a good time was had by all.

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Suzanne’s Birthday Dinner

Mike, Krystal, Cathy, Suzanne, Chrissy, and Pam

Mike, Krystal, Cathy, Suzanne, Chrissy, and Pam

We had a wonderful dinner and Mike and Krystal’s house this evening, celebrating our friend Suzanne’s recent birthday. Krystal and Mike always deliver a wonderful meal and tonight was no exception, with individual-size beef Wellingtons being (in my humble opinion) the star of the show. But, also as usual, the food was incidental to the company, which was terrific. We had a great time of laughter and stories. We’re so fortunate to have these wonderful people as our friends.

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George, Carmela, and Chester

George, Carmela, and Chester

George, Carmela, and Chester

Iris and Seth hosted us for Thanksgiving this year and also cooked the turkey. George and Carmela drove down and arrived at around 1:00 PM. We had a lovely time visiting and of course eating. We had taken a good group photo at the beach and we decided that trying to get a good group photo today was not going to happen. Nevertheless, I took a good collection of photos of the festivities. I’m happy with this one of George and Carmela with their dog, Chester.

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Patrick and Karlee

Patrick and Karlee

Patrick and Karlee

As mentioned in the previous two posts, Cathy, Dorothy, and I are in Alabama for Karlee and Patrick’s wedding. The weather was a bit cooler than expected, even for this time of year, but they went ahead with their outdoor ceremony (under a pavilion roof but without walls). They provided hand warmers for anyone who needed them. With my suit coat, I was fine, although the girls were a bit chilly. After the service and before they came into the reception I was able to take a few photos of the bride and groom. So, may I present to you the happy couple.

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Karlee and Dorothy

Karlee and Dorothy

Karlee and Dorothy

We flew down to Birmingham Alabama this afternoon and the drove a little way to the rehearsal dinner for our dear friend, Karlee. We were a bit late due to flight schedule changes but there was still food available to us in the buffet. I took quite a few photos including a bunch of Karlee and Patrick with various friends. Although Cathy and I had met Patrick once, Dorothy had not before today. This was one of the last photos of the evening of Karlee and Dorothy.

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Zack and Lexi’s New Place

Jean, Zack, Lexi, Dorothy, Cathy, and Henry

Jean, Zack, Lexi, Dorothy, Cathy, and Henry

We went to dinner at Zack and Lexi’s place this evening. They live in a part of town we aren’t familiar with but we had no real trouble finding it, with the help of our trusty GPS. Traffic was slow at times, but that’s to be expected inside the beltway during evening rush hour. Jean and Dorothy also met us there. The original purpose of the visit was to load a sofa into Dorothy’s van (well, our van but her car is in the shop so she has our van). Once we did that, with a little three-dimentional Tetris, we went in and had a very lovely dinner and evening with our friends. This photo was taken with the camera sitting on the kitchen counter, so the angle is a little odd, but it turned out pretty well, in spite of that.

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Kaien, Silas, and Eloise

Kaien, Silas, and Eloise

Kaien, Silas, and Eloise

My cousin and his daughter were in town this weekend. Iris and Seth hosted a dinner for them and the local family, which was really nice. We had carry-out from a Thai place. After dinner I took some photographs, including this one of the three youngest. It’s difficult to get a photo of them all looking at the camera and also not cringing from the flash. I’ll come clean and confess that this one is a composite of two images. Eloise wasn’t smiling in the best one of Kai and Silas, so I pulled her face from another image. I think it’s a pretty good shot.

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Adam and Dorothy

Adam and Dorothy

Adam and Dorothy

I took this photo of Adam and Dorothy before the worship evening today. Adam, when he can make it, adds his guitar skills and brings an added level of depth to the music. Shown here laughing before the evening got started, they sit at the ‘front’ of the room but really we sit in more of a circle. As you can see, Anna has decorated the mantle with more dahlias from her garden. I should mention that all of my photos taken on these occasions are by available light, which at times has been relatively low, so the ISO is often set accordingly high. Here is was set to 5,000, allowing me an exposure time of 1/80 of a second at f/4.0.

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More Visiting With Mom

Jim, Margaret, Cathy, Amy, Dorothy, and Henry

Jim, Margaret, Cathy, Amy, Dorothy, and Henry

As promised yesterday, here’s another photo of a visit with Cathy and Jim’s mom. This time, Dorothy joined us, as well as Jim’s friend Amy. We hadn’t met her before but really enjoyed meeting her and getting to know her a little. After our visit with Margaret (and after taking a few photos) we drove out to Rocklands and had Boxcar Burgers and a bottle of wine in the barn (it’s turned chilly). Anyway, back to this photo. I think it’s a really good picture of all of us, which is somewhat unusual.

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Jim Visits

Jim, Margaret and Cathy

Jim, Margaret and Cathy

Jim visited this weekend and we had a really nice time. Of course the main purpose of his visit was to see his mom. So, after his arrival late yesterday evening we headed over to see her this morning. Naturally I took a photo or two (and there will be another, larger group photo tomorrow). Our visit had to be cut short because of a memorial service that I wanted to go to. Jim and Cathy took naps in the afternoon and then he went to visit some other folks. All in all, it was a good day. Even the memorial was nice. Sad, of course, but nice.

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Margaret’s Birthday

Cathy and Margaret

Cathy and Margaret

Cathy and I took Margaret to lunch at Red Lobster today for her birthday. It was a lovely day and we had a nice time celebrating, although in a relatively subdued manner. We haven’t eaten at Red Lobster for a long time and even had to check that this location was still there. It’s not on our regular route and even when we do drive by, we generally don’t pay attention to that. Cathy and I ate there the evening after we got married, so we know it’s been there at least 38 years. As you can see, we had a bit of a feast.

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Chrissy’s Birthday

Chrissy's Birthday

Chrissy’s Birthday

I’m late posting this and I suspect it will cause a little confusion on Instagram, where the posting date is so much different to the actual date listed for the photo. After church today we went to Krystal and Mike’s house, along with Suzanne, to celebrate Chrissy’s birthday. It was an absolutely lovely day and we sat on their patio a while eating fresh figs from Mike’s tree. Then we retired to the dining room where we had a wonderful meal. The highlight wasn’t the food, though, it was the company. We had a great time talking and laughing and generally just being together. Thanks again, Krystal and Mike, for including us.

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Lexi and Zack

Lexi and Zack

Lexi and Zack

What a wonderful day and what a beautiful wedding. To say nothing of the lovely bride. We were a little surprised to be greeted with flowers and reserved seats in the second row. We didn’t have any actual duties but were happy to be there as our goddaughter Lexi was married to Zack. It’s also the first time we’ve been in The Falls Church Anglican since they finished their new sanctuary building. It’s quite large and we didn’t come close to filling it. The reception was also nice and we saw lots of friends. Now we look forward to visiting the young bride and groom at their new home.

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Old Time Jam

Old Time Jam

Old Time Jam

One of the events we enjoy at Rocklands Winery is their Old Time Jam. It happens roughly once a month and you can check out their calendar for specific dates. Bring a picnic dinner and enjoy a bottle of wine as a group of musicians play. It’s a very friendly atmosphere, the music is lovely, and the wine goes down very well. One of Dorothy’s friends joined in for the first time this evening, so that was an additional draw for us. In the summer they are out on the lawn but now that it’s getting cooler, they’ve moved into the barn.

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Visiting Grandma

Margaret, Dorothy, Laura, and Cathy

Margaret, Dorothy, Laura, and Cathy

Laura came for a visit this weekend, flying in from Atlanta on her way back to New York. We visited with grandma twice on Saturday and she went again Sunday morning before we took her to the train station for the rest of her journey home. We had a lovely time and, as you can see (and won’t be surprised to learn) I took a photo of the girls. Naturally they complained that I wasn’t in the photograph, but that’s pretty much they way it goes (and I really don’t mind).

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Evening Light

Evening Light

Evening Light

We were out at Anna’s for an evening of singing. The light was beautiful as it filtered through the trees onto the lovely, stone building. I was afraid the dynamic range would be too much but this photo captures it pretty well, I think. It lasted about five minutes and then was gone. The structure was built circa 1817 but by 1940, only a stone shell remained. It was rehabilitated in the 1940s for residential use and that’s when the current doors, wi11dows, hardware, etc. were installed. It was built as the Seneca Baptist Church and is one of the oldest Baptist Churches in Montgomery County.

In addition to Dorothy, Adam, Michael, and Andrew came and played while we all sang into the evening. A good time was had by all. At least I think so. I certainly enjoyed myself.

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The Family

The Family

The Family

On thing we try to do every time we go to the beach is take a family photo. Some years there have been fewer, a few years there have been more. We’re actively missing Albert and Ralph, of course. And for years, Dorothy’s friend Karlee came with us. But we also have the three little ones and this is Eloise’s first time at the beach. After two summers without a beach trip, it was great to be able to be together this year. We’re also thankful for David driving across the country to stay here with his (and Cathy’s) mom while we were away. It didn’t end up being exactly what he had expected but he took it all in stride, as he usually does.

Starting at the back, left to right, we have Cathy, Dorothy, Tsai-Hong, Eloise, Seth, Steve, Silas, Iris, Kai, Maya, George, Dot, Danna, Carmela, and yours truely.

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Rob, Susie, and Craig

Rob, Susie, and Craig

Rob, Susie, and Craig

It’s worth keeping up with old friends. Old friends in the sense of friends we’ve known for a long time. This fall I’ll have known Rob (on the left in this photo) for 50 years, having met him in September, 1972, at the beginning of eighth grade when my family moved back here from England. I couldn’t tell you exactly when I met Craig (on the right) but I would guess sometime in the spring or summer of 1974, after I started going to Fourth Presbyterian Church. So, we go back a good way. Cathy and I stayed with Craig in Japan in February of 1988 as the first stop in our 7.5 month around-the-world trip. (Sadly my first few rolls of film from that trip never made it back.) We’ve known Susie the shortest time, but that’s only relative. We’ve know her since she moved to the area, about the time she and Rob became an item. We see Craig less often, partly for the obvious reason that he spends so much time in Japan. It was great to get together with them and get caught up, even a little.

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Our Garden

Cathy in Our Back Garden

Cathy in Our Back Garden

I’m posting this more than a month after it was taken. As you can see, we have a little bit of black-eyed Susan in our back garden. If you don’t like yellow you might not like our garden in late July. Thankfully, we’re happy with that color and the difficulty is keeping it under control rather than keeping it alive. It does have a tendency to move about on its own and we’ve even started pulling it out in a few places. This photo has a single tiger lily in the center. That’s nice but the big clump of them in the front yard it really the way this should be grown. It’s quite amazing for about three weeks in late July. We’ve also had a pretty successful summer with our elephant ear. Last year’s didn’t really do anything but I’m happy with this one and hopefully can keep it alive for the years ahead.

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First Cousins

Dot, Mary Ellen, Anne, LaClaire, and Glenn

Dot, Mary Ellen, Anne, LaClaire, and Glenn

Mom and I drove down to North Carolina this morning for our annual family reunion. Last year’s was out doors but with the forecast calling for temperatures above 100°F, it was moved into the meetinghouse hall, which I think was a good choice. Although we didn’t take a full-group photo, we did took photos of each generation. This is the first of those, with the remaining five first cousins. When I was growing up, the oldest generation was the five sets of parents of these folks. The last of them, Aunt Mary, died in 2010 at the age of 104. Of the eleven children—the first cousins—five remain, with mom (Dot) being the oldest. It’s great to see them all together and also good to see the next three generations still getting together every year.

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Daniel and Renee

Daniel and Renee

Daniel and Renee

Two posts back I had a picture of the bouquets that Dorothy made for Renee and her bridesmaids. Today we see the lovely bride and her new husband. The wedding was delayed a little, as we were late getting there with the last of the flowers, but it was lovely. Daniel and Renee look pretty happy, as you’d hope and expect. You can see the flowers even better in this photo than in the previous one.

From the church we went to a friend’s yard, where the tent was set up and where we had decorated with more flowers. We had pizza cooked in a woodburning oven on a trailer (among other foods). I was honored to be allowed to be part of such a festive occasion.

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Carly and Jon

Carly and Jon

Carly and Jon

As mentioned in my previous post, we drove up to Lititz, Pennsylvania after work yesterday. This morning Rob, Cathy, and I went into Lititz proper and walked around a bit. Rob and Cathy bought a few things, including some Wilbur chocolate. My tastes are a little different and I bought some unusual meats from The Savory Gourmet. I got a pound each of camel and kangaroo. We’ll see. Not cheap, but also not something you see every day so worth a splurge.

The main event was at 3:00 and the wedding itself was lovely. The reception was at the Brick Gables, which appears to be a restored barn. We had hors d’oeuvre outside and then moved in for the actual reception. This photo, as you have probably guessed, is of Carly and Jon at the head table. After a few speeches and a little talking, we had a nice dinner. The bulk the reception was taken up with dancing, which was loud, as you might expect. I took quite a few photos and we had a nice time. By the time we got back to our BnB we were nicely tired and ready to sleep.

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Silas and Two Goats

Silas and Two Goats

Silas and Two Goats

We went up to Pennsylvania today along with the rest of the family. Some had gone up the day before and spent the night, which was nice although the youngest apparently woke up in the middle of the night and cried a bit, making sleep a little rough for the rest. It was a very hot day but always good to be there. Mom and I finished putting the new screen up on the porch and Dorothy did a good bit of weeding in the flower bed in front of the cabin. Other than that, we mostly just sat around, ate, and talked. Standard fare for a day at ‘the farm’. We walked over to our neighbors’ house to see their goats. There were a few young kids that could get through the fence quite easily and although we tried to keep them in, they’d simply come out again. I took advantage of the situation and took a few photographs, including this one of Silas with two goats.

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Hannah and Thea

Hannah and Thea

Hannah and Thea

I went to the evening service with Dorothy today. Tommy had asked if I might come and take some photos during the dessert fellowship after the service. This is something they started in the summer of last year (or maybe the year before) and tonight was the kickoff for this summer. I took quite a few photos but many of them are of people I don’t know. I know these two, at least a little. They are Hannah and Thea. It was a lovely evening. The dessert provided was a wide variety of cupcakes. Apparently last year they kicked it off with ice cream and then, as fortune would have it, it was unseasonably cold and ice cream wasn’t as popular as it might have been. So, this year they didn’t take any chances with that. It would have been fine, as it turns out.

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Dorothy, Justin, Sara, and Cathy

Dorothy, Justin, Sara, and Cathy

Dorothy, Justin, Sara, and Cathy

Washington Christian Academy was having a event today that combined a few events they’ve had separately in more normal years. In addition to the standard was the fact that this is WCA’s 60th anniversary year, so there were activities celebrating that fact. We were later getting there than we had planned because we stopped to put air in a partially flat tire of a semi-stranded motorist. We also didn’t really stay all that long, but it was sure good to see a few friends. Bill, the former headmaster, was there and seeing him and chatting briefly was a real treat. We also ran into Justin and Sara as we were about to leave, which is when this photo was taken.

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Carolyn and Paul

Carolyn and Paul

Carolyn and Paul

I visited Paul and Carolyn last June (see Wednesday, June 23, 2021) and Dorothy and I went to see them again this afternoon. It was a lovely visit, including having their eldest and youngest children (who are adults, of course) there with us. If you know the Ks then chances are you love the Ks. I know I certainly do. They mean so much to me and have meant a lot to a lot of folks over the years. Dorothy is now (quite a bit) older than I was when I first met them, which was back in 1974. We talked quite a bit about what Dorothy is doing and what her plans are for the future. It was a great time and something we should do more often.

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Dot, Steve, and Iris

Dot, Steve, and Iris

Dot, Steve, and Iris

We had a family get together today, outside in the big tent that’s set up where mom lives. It was quite warm when we got there so it was nice to be in the shade of the tent. Then a storm rolled through and it came down in buckets so it was even nicer to be under cover. The little ones enjoyed getting wet in the rain. In this photo, Iris (right) is trying to convince Steve (center) that he should be a contestant on Survivor. As you might be able to tell from his expression, he’s not convinced. And Dot (left) is amused by the whole thing.

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Cathy Visits the Ponies

Cathy Visits the Ponies

Cathy Visits the Ponies

One more post for today. After our wandering around the western part of the county and visit to Susanna Farm Nursery, we came back to where Dorothy was staying and took the dog for a longish walk. It was warm but really pretty out. There is an abandoned house at the back of the property and there were two black vultures in the upstairs and they weren’t happy when we came close. We didn’t go inside. After we got back, Cathy spent some time grooming a couple of the ponies. I enjoyed sitting on the porch and chatting with Dorothy. All in all, a very pleasant day.

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Beallsville Cemetery Chapel

Beallsville Cemetery Chapel

Beallsville Cemetery Chapel

We met Dorothy out in Poolesville today after she spent the night and took care of the animals for a friend. After breakfast we drove out to Beallsville and stopped at the cemetery there. This photo of Dorothy and Cathy was taken outside the chapel there. I also got a few photos of the stained glass from inside, but thought I’d go with this informal portrait, instead. The cemetery was incorporated May 27, 1862 and the you can find more information about it on the BeallsvilleCemetery.org website. That web site has a scanned copy of the cemetery charter, as amended in 1912. There are also quite a few photos on Find-a-Grave. We weren’t looking for any grave in particular but did wander about a bit, looking at the stones. It was a beautiful day and we like cemeteries, particularly old cemeteries.

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Worship

Worship

Worship

Dorothy and Anna have been planning to host a regular, bi-weekly worship night and tonight was their inaugural event. Attendance was light but for those who came, I think it was a really nice time. Dorothy and Adam played guitar (and occasionally the piano or the cajón, as Dorothy is doing in this photo). Greg came a little later and added the bass to the mix. We all used our phones to find the lyrics to songs we didn’t know. Eventually we’ll have something a little more organized, but it worked pretty well. This photo is a little grainy, because I didn’t want to use the flash. The ISO was set to 10,000, taken with a shutter speed of 1/80 second at f/4.5.

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Spring Flowers

Spring Flowers

Spring Flowers

In September of 2019 we bought and planted a hawthorn, Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’ in the bed that used to have a Colorado blue spruce. Then in April of 2020, we added a Viburnum carlesii to the same bed. Over the years I’ve also planted quite a few daffodils in that bad. The hawthorn isn’t shown in this photo but the viburnum is, to Cathy’s right (left in the photo). The daffodils in the foreground are called ‘Lemon Beauty’. And the ‘stone’ rabbit came from Cathy’s parents’ yard when their house was sold.

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Johnny and Stephanie

Johnny and Stephanie

Johnny and Stephanie

Johnny and Stephanie came to see D.C. this weekend. They stayed with Dorothy but she stopped by with them after she picked them up at the airport. It’s nice to have visitors and especially nice as we’ve been so isolated the last couple years. Dorothy met Stephanie when she was in college (Dorothy was in college, Stephanie had just graduated) and they got to know each other. Then it turns out Stephanie’s family actually knew Dorothy’s grandma (Cathy’s mom). And the organization Stephanie’s dad helps run is named for the pastor that married Cathy and me. Small world.

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Steve, Maya, and Danna

Steve, Maya, and Danna

Steve, Maya, and Danna

We got together for Tsai-Hong’s birthday this evening and as always I took pictures of the family. Usually I get a lot more of the kids than of the adults but I try to include everyone at least now and then. I think this one of Steve, Maya, and Danna turned out well so here you are. It’s been a hard few years with the restrictions, both official and self-imposed and I’m really glad we’re getting together in person again. I’m happy for the technology that lets us talk to and even see each over remotely but it’s not remotely the same.

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Just Hanging Out

Thea, Elizabeth, and Grant

Thea, Elizabeth, and Grant

We stopped at Dorothy’s this evening and some of her housemates and other friends were just hanging out in the family room. I happened to have my camera with me, as I often do, and Elizabeth asked if I had taken any pictures today. I had not, so I got out my camera and flash and took a few of them lounging on the sofa. It’s not exactly a formal portrait but it’s a day in the life. After that, Dorothy, Lydia, Donna, Cathy, and I went to Bethesda to get some dinner.

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Dorothy and Cathy at Dumbarton Oaks

Dorothy and Cathy at Dumbarton Oaks

Dorothy and Cathy at Dumbarton Oaks

We haven’t been to Dumbarton Oaks in a long time but we decided to take a trip now, before everything is out, to see how it looks out of season. It’s not nearly as spectacular this time of year, of course, but there were some things in bloom. It’s also really nice to see the bones on which the garden rests. I took quite a few photos and really like this one of Dorothy and Cathy siting on a bench. You have to make reservations and book a time but out of season it’s free. Even in season it’s only $7, which isn’t bad value.

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Adjustable Bed

Cathy in Our New Adjustable Bed

Cathy in Our New Adjustable Bed

We had a really nice windfall this week. A friend of ours helps people get rid of things from their homes and yards. He called me the other day and said he had been asked to take this adjustable bed from a home after the person it was bought for passed away. It’s brand new and was never actually used. We moved it into our garage but between then and when I’m writing this (in April) it has been moved into Margaret’s room and it makes it much easier for her to sit up in bed for eating, reading, or watching TV.

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Korean BBQ

Dorothy, Nadia, Lexi, and Cathy

Dorothy, Nadia, Lexi, and Cathy

We met Dorothy, Nadia, and Lexi for Korean BBQ this evening at 9292 Korean BBQ in Annandale. It was a lot of fun and the food was terrific. With my diet being so protein heavy and carb light, it was a good meal for me. At the same time, even as it is, I need to control my portion, especially now as I’ve lost 50 pounds. So, it’s not like I could eat here with impunity. But once in a while it’s nice to have a real treat and the food was really good. I was surprised by the pork neck, which I’ve never had before. Very good flavor. Recommended (but not cheap).

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Dot’s Birthday

Dot's Birthday

Dot’s Birthday

We got together for mom’s (Dot’s) birthday this evening. We weren’t able to last year, with all the restrictions. That is to say, we probably could have but we didn’t. It’s great to be able to do this again. The funniest thing is that mom made and brought her own birthday cake. She also brought presents (quilts that she had made but not yet delivered). Regardless, it was a really nice family dinner and we need to do this more, again. And thanks to Tsai-Hong for ordering and picking up the food.

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Cathy at Lake Needwood

Cathy at Lake Needwood

Cathy at Lake Needwood

We went for a walk at Lake Needwood this morning, starting at Needwood Mansion and walking around the south end of the lake as far as the boat house. It was a chilly day and mostly overcast, but nice to be outdoors. This bear is near the boat house and I think I’ve posted a photo of Cathy with it once before (quick check, yep, see Sunday, December 02, 2018). But that’s okay, I’m allowed to repeat. And the pictures are different, in any case. The only constant is change.

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Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Cathy, Reading Over a Man’s Shoulder

A young friend of ours scheduled her wedding on January 2 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We made plans to go, of course, and were prepared to take Covid tests before going in to the wedding. Sadly, both the groom and a number of family members all tested positive for Covid. The wedding went on but they were forced to make it a very small, private wedding. Nevertheless, we had planned a day off from work (tomorrow) and we had a hotel reservation, so we drove up to Lancaster for a short get away. This is a sculpture by J. Seward Jonhson in Steinman Park, on W. King Street (Lincoln Highway) in down town Lancaster.

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New Year’s Day Fondue Party

Fondue Dinner Party

After finishing up year eleven of my photo blog (and the first year NOT to have a picture taken every day), I got a bit lax about posting. I’ve taken photos on twelve days in January but I’m only getting around to posting them now, on February 2. They’ll continue to be dated the date the photo was taken, of course.

We had our annual New Year’s Day fondue party today, ringing in the new year with good friends and good food. Due to concerns about Covid among some of our regular crowd, we had a slightly different group of attendees this year. It’s always good to mix things up a bit and it was a really nice time.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

Last year I posted my final photo-a-day photo after ten years of taking at least one picture every day. That photo, like the first ten years earlier, was of Cathy on a walk we took on the North Branch Rock Creek, leaning against a large sycamore tree. We actually took the same walk today, a year later. The Kengla trail runs from the Kengla House, which is across the street from the entrance to Meadowside Nature Center, north to and under the Intercounty Connector (the ICC, MD 200). There it meets the Rock Creek trail, which crosses the creek. We took the right hand side—we didn’t cross the creek—and followed that up a side creek past a large drainage pond to the Norbeck Meadows Neighborhood Park, between Valley Forge Drive and Custis Drive, both off of George Washington Drive, a little further than we went on last year’s walk. It’s a nice walk and fairly easy.

Cathy

Cathy

Our favorite spot is a small side creek that has two, very large sycamores growing on the bank, with the creek going between them. The photo of Cathy I posted on December 31 last year was taken there and took a few more of her there again today. The first of them is Cathy just above where the two trees are and the second is standing next to the tree on the southern side of the small creek. I’m pretty pleased with them both.

This year has been a challenge and I don’t think I need to elaborate on why. The restrictions imposed in response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have become quite tiresome. We continue to work mostly from home, although we both go to the office now and then. I try to shop for groceries early on Sunday morning when the store is least crowded (not least because I simply dislike crowds). We have tried to get out and walk as much as possible and did that most weekends. We also managed to get away for a few days, as you may remember from early October. We’re surviving, obviously, but there are times when we just want to take a break from it all. Nevertheless, we continue to soldier on as best we can. Here’s to a better year in 2022.

God bless you all.

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Dorothy and Lexi

Dorothy and Lexi

Dorothy and Lexi

We went over to see Cathy’s best friend Jean and her daughter (our goddaughter) Lexi this evening. We were especially glad to get a chance to finally meet Lexi’s fiancé, Zach. He was down from New York for Christmas so we planned an evening together. We couldn’t be happier for them both. I fixed panang curry and rice and we spent the evening laughing and telling stories. There were a few presents exchanged but mostly it was presence, not presents. I took pictures with my new camera and like this one of Dorothy and Lexi. I took a few of Lexi with Zach, too but decided to go with this one for now.

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Cathy, Dorothy, and Henry

Cathy, Dorothy, and Henry

Cathy, Dorothy, and Henry

It’s a little surprising, considering how many pictures I take, that we don’t have a lot of pictures of the three of us. A bit part of it is that we either need a tripod set up or we need someone else to actually take the picture. Neither happens regularly. We do set up the tripod for larger family photos sometimes but by the time we’ve taken the big group photo no one wants to sit for more. In this case, George took the pictures for us. I’m not crazy about pictures of myself, but at least with the weight I’ve lost recently I don’t hate them quite so much. This one is actually pretty decent.

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Flower Valley Santa

Flower Valley Santa

Flower Valley Santa

We were out for much of the day and when we got home we remembered that this was the night that Santa rides through Flower Valley in his ‘sleigh’. Fortunately we weren’t too late to catch his visit. Some of our neighbors had put out snacks and such and a lot of the neighbors from our block were already there with their kids, waiting for the big man’s arrival. I took a few pictures, as I usually do, and got a fairly decent one, balancing the flash with the lights from Santa’s sleigh.

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Abba and Josh

Abba and Josh

Abba and Josh

We spent much of today downtown with Dorothy, Abba, and Josh. We went first to the American Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum, housed in the same building between 7th and 9th streets in northwest Washington. We wondered through most of the museum and wore ourselves out pretty well. We had a late lunch and then drove to Constitution Avenue and parked around 21st Street. From there we walked to the Lincoln Memorial.

The sun was setting across the river and the light on the Washington Monument was really nice. I got a few nice pictures of that but my favorite was this one of Abba and Josh, on the west side (rear) of the Lincoln Memorial, lit by the setting sun. After we returned to the front of the memorial we watched a woman who was clearly waiting to photograph a proposal, anxious on her behalf at the couple’s delay. The scene and frankly our enjoyment of the evening was somewhat marred by a demonstration by a far left, National Socialist, neo-Nazi group. I won’t give them any press, because they deserve to be unknown. I did take pictures, of course, but won’t share those.

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Josh and Abba

Josh and Abba

Josh and Abba

As mentioned yesterday, Abba and Josh came for a short visit. Josh, in particular, enjoyed my various three-dimensional puzzles. We have two copies of this one, with six identical pieces each and the two of them worked on it for a while. This was not the one that gave him the most frustration but as with anything of this sort, finally figuring it out can be very satisfying. The one that really occupied him was two crossed pieces and a square piece held in the intersection of the two (a bit hard to describe, actually). But he finally got that one taken apart, as well.

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Pigs

Josh, Abba, Dorothy, and Friends

Josh, Abba, Dorothy, and Friends

Abba and Josh flew down today to spend a long weekend here. Sadly Cathy had to work late this evening but Dorothy, Josh, Abba, and I drove out to Rocklands. Abba’s been there before but Josh had not. They were closed but since Dorothy is on the payroll (and is almost family) we went to see the animals. Dorothy isn’t crazy about the pigs, at least not when there isn’t a fence between her and them, but I’m a little more bold, as you can see from where I’m taking this photo. We also enjoyed a beautiful Poolesville sunset before heading back home.

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A New Hobby

Eloise on the Hobbyhorse

Eloise on the Hobbyhorse

Brady was in Frederick with her family for Thanksgiving but drove down today for a visit with us. We met at mom’s apartment and had a really nice time. This was, I believe, the first time Eloise has bounced on her great grandma’s hobbyhorse. This was made by my grandfather, Eloise’s great, great grandfather, using a leaf spring as the main component. The spring was actually replaced at some point, in the late 1980s if my memory is correct, when the old sprint snapped (this was not made for an adult, even in play). As you can see, Eloise enjoyed it.

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Thanksgiving, 2021

Thanksgiving, 2021

Thanksgiving, 2021

We were very glad to be able to have a “regular” Thanksgiving again this year. With the addition of David, Darius, and Maggie, it was an especially festive time. Steve, Maya, and Kaien were at Maya’s mom’s, and we missed them, of course. We managed to get the group photo taken before we ate, which was good because it was dark before we finished eating. Needless to say, it was hectic, but as always, loads of fun. I cooked a 19 pound turkey and everyone else brought things to share. Most of the leftovers were left with us, so we’ll be eating them for a while. Sadly, David, Darius, and Maggie leave tomorrow, but it’s been a real treat having them here.

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Darius

Darius at Rocklands

Darius at Rocklands

David, Darius, and Maggie drove out from New Mexico, covering nearly 1,900 miles in two long days. It was a surprise for Cathy, who didn’t know they were coming until they called yesterday afternoon. Darius said he’d like to come visit us again and Cathy said that would be great. He asked, “How about tonight?” She was thrilled. So, they arrived late last evening.

This afternoon we went out to Rocklands for a while. It’s a bit chilly out but with their many fire pits and circles, it’s really not too bad. Darius was not so cold that he didn’t want a pop-cicle. Darius also enjoyed seeing the chickens and ducks, and one of the cats climbed up into David’s lap and sat there quite happily for a good while. I also took some pictures of Darius jumping between the huge tires they have in a kids play area.

When we got home we ordered carry-out from the Big Greek Cafe. Good times.

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Cathy and Yvette

Cathy and Yvette

Cathy and Yvette

We celebrated Cathy’s birthday with a few friends on Tuesday evening. Then this evening we celebrated again with our good and long-time friend Yvette. We don’t get together as often as we should and of course the Covid induced lock-downs haven’t made it any easier. Nevertheless, we met at IHOP this evening. It was great to get caught up. Her parents have moved out of the house she grew up in an moved to a condo in a retirement community, which has meant a lot of work for her, as well as for them. They are still getting settled and the house is about to go on the market, so hopefully things will calm down a bit now.

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New Members

New Members at Fourth

New Members at Fourth

Dorothy and quite a few of her fellow fellows from the first Fourth Fellows Program decided to stick around and become members of the church. Although we were never regular attenders there during Dorothy’s lifetime, Dorothy has strong attachments to the church dating to throughout her life. Cathy had to work late this evening but I went and enjoyed hearing the testimonies of some of the new members (including Dorothy, of course). I took three photos of the entire group and stitched them together to make this single panoramic image.

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Cathy’s Birthday

Cathy's Birthday

Cathy’s Birthday

We had a few friends over for dinner this evening to celebrate Cathy’s birthday. Rob and Susie came, as well as Jean. And of course Dorothy was here. She had asked for a vegetarian dish that we like, broccoli and tofu in a peanut sauce, so I made that. I also made mango and sticky rice for dessert. I did buy a cupcake so we’d have something to put a candle in, as seen here. It was a low key celebration with a few friends of our longest acquaintance. Exactly the sort of party we enjoy most.

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Halloween

Our Neighbors

Our Neighbors

It’s been a while since we did a lot for Halloween. When Dorothy was little, we’d usually go out with Rick, Melissa, and their two girls in their neighborhood. We haven’t done that since Dorothy was 11. She went out a few times after that when she was in middle school but going out trick-or-treating has been a thing of the past for a while now. When we moved into this neighborhood it wasn’t filled with children. We’d get a handful of groups of slightly older kids, assuming we even bothered to stay home for them. Sometimes we go to one of our parents’ houses and give out candy there, instead.

Our Neighbors

Our Neighbors

Recently, however, the neighborhood, particularly our immediate neighborhood, has turned over and there are a lot of kids. We have really enjoyed having them all around us, although I must admit it sometimes makes me feel a bit old (I suppose that’s mostly because I am old, but whatever). It was clear that there would be more kids out this year and there were. I took a few pictures of the neighbors on both sides of us, all dressed up and ready to go. We’re really fortunate to have such nice neighbors and we love to be able to hear their children playing.

We sat in the driveway and gave out candy to over 50 kids. Next year, assuming it isn’t raining, we’ll probably bring the fire pit around and have that going. One other cool thing was that we had a barred owl (Strix varia) perch in our tree while we were out there.

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A Quick Visit With Abba and Josh

Abba

Abba

Cathy and I managed to get away for a few days in early October. It had been nearly two years since we were away with the exception of one night away at a family reunion on my side. While that was great fun, it wasn’t the same as getting away for a simple vacation with little to no agenda. Today we drove up to New Hampshire, stopping in Scarsdale to see and take a few photos of a house that was once owned by someone Cathy is fairly certain is in her family tree (a some-number-of-greats uncle). Then we continued to Providence where we visited and had dinner with Abba and Josh. It was a really nice visit, but all too short because we still had nearly 100 miles to go after dinner. But of course I took a few pictures. There is a pretty good one of both Abba and Josh, and another of Cathy with them, but I like this picture best. Abba, wearing a floppy hat that belonged to her Aunt Elisabeth in the 1960s and chilling on the chair and with her feet on the camel saddle foot stool from her grandparents’ house.

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Margaret’s Birthday Dinner

Margaret, Cathy, Ron, and Dorothy

Margaret, Cathy, Ron, and Dorothy

I’m nearly a month behind in my posting but here’s a picture from September 23. For Margaret’s slightly belated birthday dinner I made qaubili pilau and chicken. The chicken was in pretty huge pieces (as you can see on my plate on the right. I made a big batch of pilau which is flavored with a spice mix with equal amounts of the five Cs, which are cinnamon, cloves, cumin, cardamom, and coriander plus a half measure of black pepper, and a pinch of saffron for color (and if you have both green and black cardamom, that’s even better, but I only had green). It also has thinly sliced onions and carrots plus golden raisins and my version has barberries, as well, which may not be traditional but it’s a nice addition, I think. Slivered almonds and pistachios finish it off. Anyway, everyone agreed it turned out pretty well. We had a really nice dinner and a good time celebrating Margaret’s birthday.

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Dinner With Friends

Annie, Jonathan, Ian, Susie, Rob, and Dorothy

Annie, Jonathan, Ian, Susie, Rob, and Dorothy

Cathy had to work late this evening so sadly she was not available to be at the dinner Dorothy and I shared with Annie, Ian, Jonathan, Susie, and Rob. We met at the Cactus Cantina in northwest Washington and had a lovely time. We don’t get together often enough, but we don’t all live close together, so it’s not always convenient. This is a group that’s had a few major trips together, including to Phoenix, Arizona and even more impressive, to Venice and Florence, Italy. I don’t know that we’ll be able to top those trips, but we can always dream.

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Jim’s Visit

Cathy, Dorothy, Henry, Jim, and Margaret

Cathy, Dorothy, Henry, Jim, and Margaret

Cathy’s brother Jim visited us for a long weekend and of course, before he left we had to take a group photo. We had a good time visiting some rural places and he and Cathy spent a lot of time going through pictures, papers, and other memorabilia from their family’s past. We went to the Agricultural Farm Park on Thursday, McKee-Beshers and Rocklands Farm Winery on Friday, and then Rockville Cemetery, Croyden Creek, and Redgate Park on Sunday. All in all, a very nice time.

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Sunflowers at McKee-Beshers

Cathy Amidst The Sunflowers

Cathy Amidst The Sunflowers

It started raining about mid-morning and we weren’t sure about going out but decided we’d go regardless. We drove to the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area, which we’ve never visited before. They have four fields that they plant with sunflowers, although only two of them were planted this year. I don’t know if that’s normal or not. Sunflower area #4 was the more spectacular of the two (the weeds were taller than the sunflowers in field #2). We saw a few male (and a lot of female) indigo buntings in the field, which was really nice. There were also a lot of gold finches and cardinals on the flowers, as well as butterflies. We walked all the way around field #4 as well as near the ponds on the way to field #1. That field was planted with corn, but we actually enjoyed the ponds quite a bit, with their wildflowers, etc. Highly recommended.

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Family Reunion

Family Reunion

Family Reunion

We had our annual family reunion for the first time in two years. I don’t know if you noticed, but the last year was a bit out of the ordinary. You probably heard about it. It was on the news. Anyway, we didn’t meet last year but this year we did. We moved to an outdoor location. For me, this was more like old times, as this is the yard we often camped in when we visited back in the day. The weather cooperated, with lower than normal humidity and not as sweltering as it easily could have been. There were 51 people there in all, aged about 6 months to 90 years, and we managed to get a photo or two of the whole group. Thanks again to all those who put this together and especially to Lyn for all the work he did to give us such a nice place to gather.

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Tiger Lilies

Tiger Lilies

Tiger Lilies

The tiger lilies (Lilium lancifolium) are blooming. These were all descended from bulbils that we took from lilies growing at my parent’s house. We started with just a couple and the rest came from those. We have them in a few different places in the yard but this is the largest group of them. they stand over six feet tall and they are pretty noticeable. Each year the group gets just a little larger. Last year I collected seeds, as well, although we never did anything with them. I may scatter some on our property in Pennsylvania. They should do well there.

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Rocklands In The Shade

Dot, Margaret, and Cathy

Dot, Margaret, and Cathy

We didn’t do a lot yesterday for Independence Day but we had the day off today so got to go out. It was a typical, hot, muggy July day. Yesterday was actually not as bad as today, when the temperature got up above 90°F. Nevertheless, we got our two moms out and enjoyed sitting outside in the shade, where the temperature was not so bad. Dorothy called while we were there, so it was nice for all of us to be able to talk with her. She and Renee got to Juneau on Saturday evening so were there for their Fourth of July parade.

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Cathy and Maureen at Rocklands

Cathy and Maureen

Cathy and Maureen

Cathy and I spent the evening at Rocklands Winery). I was there to take pictures for them, so we invited our good friend Maureen so that Cathy would have a companion when I went off to take pictures. We had burgers from Boxcar Burgers, a food truck that is often there (and if you think you don’t like pickled beets, you really should try a Boxcar Burger. Really good. We also had a glass each of Rocklands’ new Montevideo vintage, a very nice red wine. I’m not really a great person to recommend a wine to anyone, but this was very nice. It was an absolutely lovely evening, not too hot, and everyone there seemed to be having a really nice time. If you’re looking for something to do, you could do worse.

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Paul and Carolyn

Paul and Carolyn

Paul and Carolyn

I visited a couple old friends yesterday. I first met them in 1975 and while I don’t see them as often as I might, they are very dear to me. When I was in high school (and before and after that, for more years than I even know) they opened their house to as many high schoolers as wanted to come. I’m pretty sure that at one time it was every week but in my years there, it was once a month. For my group of friends, it was the place to be. We sat in the living room and talked about this and that, good times and hard times and how life is for us in these pandemical days. One of my favorite things was to work on a puzzle in their living room. It was an oasis of calm and quiet amidst the chaos. I could go on and on here, but I won’t. For those who don’t know Paul and Carolyn it wouldn’t mean much and for those who do, it’s not necessary. Suffice it to say they are among the best.

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Justin and Sara’s Wedding

Justin and Sara's Wedding

Justin and Sara’s Wedding

Without going into the details, we were sort of uninvited to a wedding today. Well, on Thursday, but the wedding was today. As a sop, we were invited to view the live-stream at the home of Doug and Kato, who graciously accepted us into their home along with a huge crowd of five other adults and two young boys (not all shown here, obviously).

When I was in Junior High, there was a guy in our Phys. Ed. class who dubbed the lower group—those of us with less athletic ability—the Double-O Nummies. I’m not sure where the name came from, possibly from this guy’s fertile imagination. Anyway, I think we were the Double-O Nummies of wedding guests. Also, the live stream froze just before the bride came down the aisle, so we never saw her or the rest of the ceremony. But the Champagne was cold and we were in an air conditioned house. Just the small thing of not actually seeing the wedding.

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Silas Turns Three

Silas Turns Three

Silas Turns Three

Silas had his third birthday earlier this week and we all got together for a family dinner and a birthday party. It had been planned for last weekend but kids and infections don’t necessarily work to a schedule. The weather was nice and we were both inside and out for the party. Iris had a huge bubble wand and made giant bubbles, which Silas and Kaien really loved. We had a nice dinner from Don Pollo and the cake that Iris made for Silas—a rainbow cake with candy in the middle. There was also a piñata and of course. Some of us (well, one of us) even had cicada for dessert.

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Cathy and Jean at Scott’s Run Falls

Cathy and Jean at Scott's Run Falls

Cathy and Jean at Scott’s Run Falls

We met up with Jean today for a walk. I found a new place that we’ve drive by without noticing up until now. It’s just into Virginia and right off the Capitol Beltway on Georgetown Pike. The hike was pleasant, although there’s a significant climb both ways down to the river. This waterfall is where Scott’s Run empties into the Potomac River. We also walked a little way down the river before retracing our steps back to the parking area. It’s a nice, quiet place and we really enjoyed it. Of course, that may have been the company, as much as the location. It’s always good to be with Jean.

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Margaret and Cathy

Margaret and Cathy

Margaret and Cathy

We went to the Agricultural Farm Park today, taking Cathy’s mom with us. We went up through the Master Gardeners’ demonstration garden and then sat for a while in the shade garden. It was a beautiful day and really nice to be out. From there we went to Laytonsville and bought ice cream at The Family Room. We were parked in the shade and we sat in the car and watched the bicyclists putting their bikes back onto or into their cars and chatting in the parking lot. All in all, a nice, relaxing afternoon outing.

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The Fellows Finale

The First Fourth Fellows

The First Fourth Fellows

Last fall, Dorothy joined 11 other young adults as one of the first to participate in Fourth Presbyterian Church’s Fellows program. I posted a photo of the six young women on Monday, October 19, 2020. This evening there was a banquet to end their nine month program and I took a few more pictures. This is the First Fourth Fellows class, the class of 2021. It was great to be invited (even if it was mostly for my camera) and Cathy and I had a nice time hanging out with everyone. From left to right, back row: Clement, Grant, Boyde, Tony, David, and Justin; front row, Emily, Thea, Dorothy, Lydia, Genna, and Elizabeth.

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Bouncing Kaien

Kaien

Kaien

For the first time in over a year, the locals got together for a family dinner without masks. We got together once early last fall but met outdoors and wore masks most of the time. Now that we’re all vaccinated (except for the youngest), we were able to get together and have it be like old times. It only felt strange for a minute and then it seemed normal again. And right. We had a nice dinner but the main thing was being together.

Kaien and Silas were in good form and we enjoyed seeing and holding Eloise, as well. Here’s Kai bouncing on the sofa. Clearly he bounced higher than I expected and this is the only one where his head isn’t completely chopped off. We expect to have many more gatherings like this in the weeks to come. It’s been a crazy year but I think we’re finally coming out of it.

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Glen With A Duckling

Glen With A Duckling

Glen With A Duckling

It was duckling rental pick-up day where Dorothy works and we went out to help. Mostly I took pictures but I did help with the actual process for a bit. Cathy did more than I did. But having pictures is nice, of course. This is Luke, nephew of the farmer, and all around cute kid. He and his sister posed for me a few times with ducklings.

The weather was beautiful and we had a great time being out on the farm. It was well organized and went very smoothly, although the place got a little busier when the winery opened. We really enjoyed visiting with folks, especially Glen’s parents and grandparents, and while we were tired by the end of the day, it was a day well spent. Chick rental is coming up, followed by turkey rental. It’s amazing to see how much they grow in a week. Educational and fun. And the kids enjoy it, too!

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Josh, Julia, and Lupin

Josh, Julia, and Lupin

Josh, Julia, and Lupin

We visited our friends, Josh and Julia today and met their new dog, Lupin. They’ve moved into a nice house and it was great to see them getting settled in. They also helped us with some furniture moving, which was really nice. We’re trying to get a few things moved out of a storage unit and they got a couple other guys and provided the muscle (to go along with my brains?). Seriously, it’s really a lot easier when you have more people. Coming up on their third anniversary (and it’s already past by the time I’m actually posting this). Happy new house, kids!

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Bluebells with Rob and Susie

Bluebells with Rob and Susie

Bluebells with Rob and Susie

We met up with our good friends, Rob and Susie today and went for about a three mile walk through the woods. We were heading towards where we knew there would be Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and it was a lovely walk. We came upon a patch of yellow trout lilies (Erythronium americanum) as seen on Saturday, May 15, 2021. We had to walk further than I expected to get to the bluebells and we could have parked closer, but the walk through the woods was really nice, so it wasn’t a waste.

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Easter

Henry, Dorothy, and Cathy

Henry, Dorothy, and Cathy

We didn’t go to the sunrise service today but did go to the 11:00 outdoor service at Fourth Pres. It’s the first time Margaret has been to a morning service since the shutdown began back in March of last year, although she’s been to an evening service. Dorothy went to the sunrise service and then got there early to get us a good spot in the parking lot for the 11:00 service. It was a good service and we were all glad we went. When we got home, we took pictures in the front yard before going in. We don’t have a lot of good photos of the three of us, so I’m glad to have one more.

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Pennsylvania Work Day

Elizabeth Wielding The Chainsaw

Elizabeth Wielding The Chainsaw

We had our first official work day at the farm today. There were twenty people there in all. That including two pre-teenagers, although they definitely did their fair share of work. I think people generally had a good time and we got a good amount done. Clearing the inside face of the dam was something that way way overdue and Ted’s crew handled that with the help of the new Stihl pole saw. My crew worked in the overgrown orchard. It’s been so long without being cleared that it’s not even obvious which trees should be there and which are weeds. That will be easier once the leaves are out. We made a really good start, cutting huge multiflora roses and other small shrubs and some trees that I was sure about. Meanwhile, Dorothy’s crew worked in the cabin and did an amazing job cleaning, especially upstairs.

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Ten Years

Cathy

Cathy

For Christmas, 2010, Cathy gave me a new camera. It was a Canon 60D to replace the 10D that I had been using since 2003. On January 1, 2010 I decided to try my hand at something a co-worker had been doing. It was called Project 365 and the idea was to take at least one photo each day for a year. I posted those photos on Facebook and managed to establish a (very) small but loyal following. At the end of the year I set up this blog and continued taking at least one photo a day. I’ve been doing that for ten years now and I think that’s a pretty good accomplishment.

I have decided that as of today, I will no longer be taking a photo a day. I still expect to take my camera with me when I’m out and I still plan to take pictures, just without the pressure. I figure 3,652 consecutive days and over 180,000 photos is enough. So, some days there will be photos and other days there won’t. To my small but loyal band of followers, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you all.

The first photo in this project (see Saturday, January 1, 2011) was of Cathy and I thought it appropriate that I end ten years with another of her. Yes, we’ve both aged a bit in ten years, but we’re still here. God bless you all.

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Genna and Dorothy

Genna and Dorothy

Genna and Dorothy

Dorothy and a few of her friends are flying to Florida to visit another friend for a few days. When they get back they will quarantine together for two weeks. Three of the friends came over this evening to spend the night here so I could take them to the airport early in the morning. While we were all talking I asked if I could take a few photos. This is Genna, one of Dorothy’s housemates and friends. Lydia and Tony also came but didn’t make it in time for the photo.

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Thea and Dorothy’s Hat

Thea

In fifth grade, Dorothy learned to knit. At the time, she struggled to actually finish anything. She’d get between a half and three quarters of the way done and then she’d pull it apart and start over. I guess I’ve been known to that sort of thing as well, although I’m not generally considered a perfectionist. Anyway, she decided to make a hat for a friend this year as a Christmas present. She stopped by this evening with another friend—Thea—and while she was here she happened to show us the hat.

The hat itself is a bit funny, with a nice shape and a tall peak. They ties a few different things to the end including the small wreath ornament you see here. I specially like the coordination of colors between the wreath and the green yarn that was used in the hat. I got another photo with the wreath turned properly and with Thea’s eye looking through it. Dorothy settled on a tiny little bell as the most appropriate.

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Middle House

Genna, Liz, Thea, and Dorothy

Genna, Liz, Thea, and Dorothy

We stopped by to bring some things to Dorothy this evening. She and the young women she lives with are self-quarantining because of a possible exposure to Covid (I’m writing this more than two weeks after the fact and they’re all clear). We had stopped at Trader Joe’s but there was a line the length of the building so we didn’t bother with that. We’ll try again when we think it likely to be a little less busy. It was good to see Dorothy, even if we only spoke with her from outside while she stood in the doorway.

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Thanksgiving Meal

Thanksgiving Meal

Thanksgiving Meal

Like many families this year, we had a very small Thanksgiving meal today. I’m not fond of turkey and with only four of us, it seemed like a waste to bother with one. So, I roasted a 5.5 pound chicken, stuffed with a pilau with onions, currants, pine nuts, lemon zest, and allspice. We were meant to have green bean casserole but somehow I forgot. We did have a salad, though, as well as two cranberry sauces, the jellied version out of a can and one made from fresh cranberries and an orange, blended together with a little extra sugar.

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Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child Boxes

Operation Christmas Child Boxes

It’s that time of the year again. Cathy held back a bit this year. In 2017 she planned to make six boxes but that grew into 12. I think that was the high water mark for her. In the last two years she’s kept closer to plan and this year she only went one over her planned four boxes, which is quite an accomplishment for her. It was harder because everything seems harder this year, particularly shopping, but she went on a couple outings to fill her boxes. Since I’m actually posting this more than three weeks after the fact, it’s pretty clear she didn’t pick up any unwanted viruses on her shopping trips, at least not anything with a gestation period shorter than that. We didn’t volunteer at their packing center this year, either. It’s sad that something as worthwhile as this is impacted so much by this pandemic, but there you are. Hopefully next year things will be back to some semblance of normal.

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Birthday Dinner

Cathy's Birthday Dinner

Cathy’s Birthday Dinner

I already shared a picture here from the surprise party we had for Cathy on Sunday. I figured I’d share a picture from her actual birthday dinner, as well. I’m afraid I didn’t fix anything fancy for it. In fact, it’s about as unfancy as they come—frozen pizza—although there was a little leftover Thai, as well. Dorothy came over for dinner and we had a nice evening together. Dorothy, Margaret, and I all gave her a few presents and it was what passes for festive this year.

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Surprise Birthday Party

Cathy's Surprise Birthday Party

Cathy’s Surprise Birthday Party

It’s harder than ever to plan and execute a surprise party this year, but I’m happy to say I pulled it off. It’s a few days yet until her birthday but that’s part of the surprise. Dorothy came over and baked a cake, saying it was for someone else. So Cathy saw her cake being made and was none the wiser. We went for a walk on the C&O Canal from Riley’s lock, which was very nice. Then we went to our friends’ place and visited Janis, who said she had something to show us in the barn. When we got there, the few friends who were up for it were there waiting. We had a terrific Thai meal and the cake that Dorothy made. No birthday hugs but I think a good time was had by all. To those who chickened out, neener-neener.

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Cathy Sorting Photographs

Cathy Sorting Photographs

Cathy Sorting Photographs

Cathy has been doing a lot of work lately going through boxes of papers and photos from her mom’s house. When we moved her to out house in 2018, we put a lot of things in boxes to be dealt with when there was more time. For a while we didn’t really have the energy to deal with them but we’ve finally started in on them and are making some progress. The box Cathy’s going through here is mostly photos that aren’t that old, with pictures of Dorothy and her cousins. The number of photographs to be dealt with is truly staggering but we have to start somewhere.

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The Female Fellows

Thea, Dorothy, Genevieve, Elizabeth, Lydia, and Emily

Thea, Dorothy, Genevieve, Elizabeth, Lydia, and Emily

After work I drove out to Rocklands, where the Fourth Fellows were gathering for their weekly meal together. I had talked with David yesterday and he said he’d love to have some pictures of them. I took quite a few, including the whole group, but I’m particularly happy with those I got of the six you women in the group. From left to right, they are Thea, Dorothy, Genevieve, Elizabeth, Lydia, and Emily. It was a lovely evening and I was allowed to stay for dinner, which was an added bonus.

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Fireside Chat

Fireside Chat

Fireside Chat

We had some friends over for dinner on the back patio this evening and I built a nice fire to keep us warm and to provide light when it got dark. Each of us had our own carry-out dinners and we sat relatively far apart. Nevertheless, it was good to be in actual company with others. I think I speak for everyone that it was a really enjoyable evening. From left to right, these are Josh, Julia, Maureen, and Bob. Cathy is out of the picture and of course I was taking it, so I’m out, as well.

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Silas

Silas

Silas

We haven’t had an in-person family dinner night since early February. We’ve had occasional Zoom get-togethers but seriously, as nice as that is, it doesn’t hold a candle to the real thing. It’s been too hot to seriously consider doing it until recently. Now that Dorothy is home and the evenings are cool, we thought it was just about time. So, everyone came over, bringing picnic meals of one sort or another, and we sat on lawn chairs and blankets in the back yard. Everyone wore masks, except for while eating, obviously, and we stayed a bit apart. Nevertheless, it was really good to have everyone in one place again.

I took bunch of pictures of Iris, Seth, and their two kids but I’ll leave those for them to post, if they want to. I also took a few of sweet, little Eloise, but you know what? Older siblings tend to get ignored for a while after their younger siblings are born. So, here’s a photo of Silas, age 2¼. And if you’re wondering about the strap, he’s carrying a camera!

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William, Margaret, and Beth

William, Margaret, and Beth

William, Margaret, and Beth

William and Beth drove down for a visit today and it was so nice to have them here. With the whole Wuhan virus quarantine going on, we are somewhat starved for human contact. Having people visit is a risk, of course. We’re at the point, however, that we need to see people and this was exactly the sort of visit that we needed. Cathy talked a lot with them about family history, and they all looked at pictures. We showed them the work we’re doing with Margaret’s memoirs and with the big scanning project that we’re ramping up.

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Eloise

Iris, Seth, Eloise, and Silas

Iris, Seth, Eloise, and Silas

Cathy and I went to see Iris and Seth’s new baby this afternoon. Naturally we stayed outside, but I was still able to take a few photographs. Silas didn’t want to take his mask off so although I got a few of Iris and Seth with Eloise sans mask, the full family grouping is all masked up. I think it’s a pretty cute picture, although without context, in years to come, someone is going to wonder why they were wearing masks. Anyway, mother and daughter (and father and brother) are doing well.

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Cathy’s Patio Garden

Cathy's Patio Garden

Cathy’s Patio Garden

It’s summer here in Maryland and with it come the summer colors. Cathy often plants containers with a mixture of annual and perennials plants for the patio but this year I think she’s outdone herself. The patio is surrounded by black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) and that adds quite a nice backdrop to all the containers. To Cathy’s left, above the red tea pot, are cana lilies and a beautiful, bright red Pelargonium (a.k.a. geranium). The yellow and orange in the lower middle are purslane and there’s more of that in the bottom right, hear the elephant’s trunk. The hanging basket in the upper left is Lantana camara. As you can see, there’s a fair amount going on in the large, central bed. The garden against the fence has been dug out and almost completely restarted. It should be nice in a year or two, though.

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Cathy and Some Flowers

Cathy and Some Flowers

Cathy and Some Flowers

It was a work day today but as usual, a few times during the day we took a break from work and went outside briefly. It’s been hot, with about three weeks with high temperatures above 90° That’s not really our favorite thing, but the flowers blooming in the yard get us out, at least a little. Here’s Cathy at the south end of the house with some bee balm (Monarda didyma, the magenta flowers behind her), orange tiger lilies (Lilium lancifolium, off her right shoulder), Blackberry Lilies (Iris domestica, the slightly paler orange lower down and further to her right), and some purple butterfly bush (Buddleia). There are two roses on the frame against the wall but they are mostly without blooms right now.

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Dot’s Latest Quilt

Dot's Latest Quilt for Ramallah Friends School

Dot’s Latest Quilt for Ramallah Friends School

Cathy and I were able to get into mom’s gated community today and had a nice visit. We had our temperature taken when we arrived and again when we left and we didn’t actually go inside her building. We visited with her on a bench out front, which was pleasant enough. She showed us the quite she’s almost finished making. It’s for the Ramallah Friends School in Ramallah, in the West Bank, about 8 miles north of Jerusalem. The children at her Friends meeting drew robots and she incorporated their drawings into the quilt. I think it’s turned out quite nicely. For the last third of a year (exactly today), we have only seen her via video chat, except for two times when we met on opposite sides of the fence so she could pass out some tax documents (and one of those times it was pouring rain). It was good to be able to just sit and chat.

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Social Distancing

Cathy, Social Distancing

Cathy, Social Distancing

After our BoxCast church service, Cathy and I went to a local park early Sunday afternoon. There were about a dozen cars there, spaced out in the large parking area. We walked around what, for 45 years, was Redgate Golf Course. Last summer it was shut down and at least for now, it’s a park, left pretty much as it was when it went dormant. The grass is fairly long and the weeds are pretty thick on tees and greens but it’s still recognizable as a golf course. We saw an American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) over the driving range and heard a rumor that there is a great horned owl nesting somewhere on the propoerty.

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Portrait Print

Print, 'Henry', by Dorothy

Print, ‘Henry’, by Dorothy

Dorothy gave me a set of four prints for Christmas. Three of them are portraits of the three of us, herself, Cathy, and me. The fourth was also of her so technically a portrait but it’s her walking and not facing the viewer. Anyway, she asked me to take photos of them for her and I did. She also said I could use one of those as my photo for the day. So, while I took this photograph, the actual content isn’t mine.

Of course the actual content of most of my photographs isn’t mine. I just photograph what I see. Sometimes it’s a man-made object and sometimes it’s something found in nature. Rarely is it a me-made object and even then, I only make things with materials that already exist. I like these prints and I think I like the one of me the best, which sounds egotistical but I think it’s the best of the three technically and I just like the way it looks.

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Iris and Seth’s New House

Iris and Seth's New House

Iris and Seth’s New House

Iris and Seth moved into their new house today. We went over last night and got a van load of things and took that over with Seth. Shortly after we dropped him off at the apartment he called to say he decided to hire movers to help with this morning’s move. He already had a truck rented and the two of us could have managed everything but it sure was nice not having to lift anything heavier than a box of dishes. The truck he got would have held everything but we used our van for most of the boxes and oddly shaped items. The furniture and few larger boxes went in the truck. By 1:00 we were done, everything was in the house and by the time we left, the shelves from Ikea were back together again and up in the living room and it was looking like a home already. It was just about the easiest move I’ve ever helped with (and I’m not complaining!).

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Silas

Silas

Silas

The local family got together this evening for Chinese New Year. Tsai-Hong and Iris picked up food from two different places and we had a wonderful meal. Of course, being with family is the best part of an evening like this and I try not to let the occasion pass without taking at least a few photographs. With two grand-nephews to photograph, I try to balance them out, posting first one and then the other. The last photo I posted was of both of them but I think it’s Silas’s turn. This is a pretty nice photo, in any case.

Chinese New Year was often a fun time when I was a kid. We’d go downtown and watch the parade on H Street and then have a Chinese meal in one of the restaurants in the area. We went there once with Dorothy and my parents in 2009. The parade and meal were nice but they never set off the long string of fire crackers that are such fun for kids (of all ages) because the fire marshal suspected a gas leak somewhere nearby. As disappointed as I was, I suppose I’d have been more disappointed has they been lit and there was a gas leak that caused an explosion.

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Jackson

Jackson

Jackson

Dorothy’s friend, Jackson, came to dinner this evening. He graduated from college along with Dorothy and got a job in New York. That’s great, of course, although living in New York isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. He’s traveled a bit and was here last week on business. Dorothy had dinner with him then and invited him to dinner this week, when he was in town again. Although he’s living in Queens, he’s commuting most weekends back to the Boston area to see his fiancée. She’s living near their alma mater and working in Cambridge.

After dinner (a Thai curry) I asked Jackson if I could take his picture for my photo of the day. He agreed and this is, I think, the best of them. I took some with him smiling and they are good, too, but I like this one. He’s hoping to be able to transfer to a Boston office this summer. Then, he and Megan are planning a September wedding. He brought an invitation from her to Dorothy to be bridesmaid.

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Theodore Roosevelt Island

Bob, Dorothy, Maureen, Cathy, and Henry at Teddy Roosevelt Monument

Bob, Dorothy, Maureen, Cathy, and Henry at Teddy Roosevelt Monument

Cathy and I have not had Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a holiday for many years. The company where we work has decided that starting this year, we will be honoring the day and so, for the first time in many years, we were off work for that today. We wanted to do something outdoors and talked through a lot of options. Then Dorothy suggested we go to “the island with the box with the hand sticking out of the top.” When I was young, we went to this island in our little jon boat (there was no bridge or causeway in the mid 1960s). In the center of the island was a huge wooden box with a brass hand sticking out of the top of it. We know the proper name for the island, of course, but we still refer to it, and now Dorothy does, too, in this somewhat more colorful manner. Our friends Bob and Maureen joined us for the outing and we had a lovely time on a lovely day.

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Cousins

Silas and Kaien

Silas and Kaien

We had a family dinner night this evening, with carry-out from The Big Greek Cafe, one of our favorites. They boys were in top form. First, they both got behind the curtains and then jumped out to surprise us and laugh. Late we asked them to climb up on a chair together. As is usual when trying to photograph youngsters, it was hard to get them both smiling and looking at the camera at the same time. Nevertheless, there were quite a few that turned out well and I think their parents will enjoy them all. This is my personal favorite, although I liked others pretty well, too.

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Cathy and Jean

Cathy and Jean

Cathy and Jean

We drove down to Tyson’s this evening and met our friend Jean for dinner. It’s always good to get together with her and it was especially nice to be able to hear about her new job and all that was going on with her family. Of course a new job can bring anxiety but so far things seem to be going well. She’ll be quite busy, learning the ropes and it’s a fairly high-pressure office, but we’re confident she can handle it. Unsurprisingly we also talked about our kids and other things that are going on. She brought us some wonderful treasures as Christmas presents, but I won’t make you jealous by telling you more about those.

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New Year’s Day

Friends on New Year's Day

Friends on New Year’s Day

On fifteen of the last seventeen new year’s days we have gotten together with a slightly varying group of people. Most of those years we were hosted by Amy although we hosted for a few of them. We were at Amy’s again this year and this is the crew. We had our traditional fondue lunch, with three pots for meat fondue and one for cheese. That’s one of the few things that has been constant through all the years. Anyway, this was and is a great way to start a new year. This also begins year ten for my photo blog. I’m hoping my camera can make it through another year of this. The expected life for the shutter in my camera is only 100,000 shots and I’m more than 70% over that (this image is number 173,093) so I feel like I’m living on borrowed time.

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Dorothy

Dorothy

Dorothy

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, Dorothy doesn’t particularly like to have her photo taken. This evening, when I mentioned that I hadn’t taken any pictures today, she was nice enough to offer to let me take her photo. I only took five shots (not wanting to press my luck). One of them has what she describes as a fake smile. One had no smile at all. Actually, I considered using that one. Nevertheless, I chose this one, which has a sort of half smile. It’s not a “laughing at a good joke” smile but it’s a “I’m pleased” smile. If you know Dorothy, you know this smile and appreciate it.

As 2019 draws to a close, I looked back and the photo I took on December 29, 2010. It also was a photo of Dorothy. Her hair was cut relatively short and was a bit wild (the caption was “Dorothy’s Bad Hair”). From that day to this, I have taken at least one photo every day. While my “official” Project 365 began on January 1, 2011, I took photos the three days leading up to that, so I have completed nine years and begun year ten. Will I finish a tenth year? I have no idea. The future, like the past is another country.

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Andrew, Dorothy, and Rachel

Andrew, Dorothy, and Rachel

Andrew, Dorothy, and Rachel

Dorothy’s (and our) good friends Andrew and Rachel stopped at our house on their way home from visiting with her family for Christmas. We had a nice dinner and then sat around a roaring fire and talked about all sorts of things. I took quite a few photos of the fire but only a handful of the three of them. Neither Dorothy nor Rachel particularly like to have their photo taken. I got it over with early so they could relax. We really enjoyed having them visit and look forward to seeing them again.

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Darius and Grandma

Darius and Grandma

Darius and Grandma

As noted, Darius is here. We have really enjoyed having him and David here and it really has “made Christmas fun again” as Dorothy had hoped. We were hoping to have Maggie here, as well, and that would have made it all the better, but forces beyond our control prevented that. Nevertheless, we enjoyed ourselves. After the long day yesterday with stocking and presents at our house and then the big meal and larger family get together at mom’s (with a few more presents), we were pretty tired. So, today we didn’t do a lot. Mostly we just hung out and visited and played with Darius. No outings (except a quick trip to the grocery store) and no planned activities. They leave tomorrow (which means they already left by the time I’m writing this), and we’ll be sad to see them go.

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Darius

Darius

Darius

Cathy’s brother and nephew arrived late Saturday evening and we will have them with us until Friday morning, when they will head back home. Darius has gotten quite a bit taller in the 15 or so months since we saw him last. I suspect he might appear in another photo before the week is out but in the evening today I realized I hadn’t taken any photos so asked him if I could take a few of him. We’re really glad to have David and Darius here for Christmas.

Last year was a very different Christmas because both of her grandmothers were no longer in the houses Dorothy grew up going to for Christmas. We did our best but it simply wasn’t the same. She came up with a plan to ‘Make Christmas Fun Again’ as she put it. This involved inviting all her out of town cousins and other relatives here for the holiday. As it worked out, there were fewer than there might have been, but it was still a big deal that David and Darius came, driving from New Mexico in two days. We’re still expecting another cousin, Maggie, to come for ‘Second Christmas.’

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Kai

Kai

Kai

Some of us got together for dinner this evening at mom’s. Iris, Seth, and Silas were still out of town. We were waiting for David and Darius to get here but they expected to be after 10:00 (they got here at about 11:20). After dinner, as we usually do, we went up to mom’s apartment and talked. Kai played on the hobby horse. Mom had pictures of him and of Silas on this in her Christmas card, as well as pictures of her and her sister on the same horse, over 80 years ago. As you can see, Kai is doing a pretty good imitation of someone enjoying himself.

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Space Invaders

Space Invaders

Space Invaders

We had our group’s Christmas party this afternoon and evening. It’s technically a holiday party, since we aren’t allowed to mention Christmas at work, for fear of offending someone (and not everyone celebrates Christmas, of course). Bue we all know what it is. Our group, which is made up of mostly technical people who provide programming and computer support to project teams, is something over 100 people and it was a pretty good crowd this year. We went to Dave & Buster’s new location at the Rio and had a surprisingly good buffet meal. We all got game cards and this is a photo of Terry, one of my coworkers, playing Space Invaders.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

I published a photo of myself a couple days ago. Today you get my better half. Cathy’s usually very kind to let me take her photo if it’s late in the evening and I haven’t taken anything that day. This evening she was relaxing on the sofa and we had been watching an episode of Time Team on YouTube when I got my camera out. The first two she was reclining and though they turned out well enough, she liked this one better, after she sat up straighter.

She’s only just smiling with her mouth, but her eyes are certainly smiling. After more than 35 years together, we often don’t need to actually speak to be able to communicate. We’ve become that old couple that just looks at each other and laughs. I guess there are things a lot worse that that to be accused of. Anyway, we’ve become accustomed to each other’s faces, with the subtle changes they’ve each gone through over the years.

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Self-Portrait

Henry

Henry

I don’t often post pictures of my self (the so-called ‘selfie’) but I figured if I’m going to, it might as well be done on an occasion such as this. I was going to title this post “A Portrait of the Artist as an Old Man” but decided that was a little pretentious. Also, I’ve never read anything by James Joyce and if I’m going to mess with his title, I should at least know what he was about. So, “Self-Portrait” will have to do. I don’t particularly like photographs of myself and I recognize that it’s unfair of me to force others to let me take photos of them when I don’t like to let others take photos of me. Part of it is that they tell me to smile when I’m already smiling. Part of the problem is that the mustache makes it harder to see my mouth. Another part is that while I smile with regularity, it’s hard to do when called upon and make it look natural. But I think this one turned out well enough.

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Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child Processing Center

Operation Christmas Child Processing Center

I went with Cathy, Aaron, and Alice to the Operation Christmas Child processing center this evening Cathy’s annual evening of processing boxes. She’s been many times but this was my first time. Aaron has also gone with her a few times before. We had a good time and got a fair amount done. Along with the hundreds of other volunteers today, we processed 64,795 boxes going to Malawi and Togo. That’s a pretty respectable number. It’s a fairly loud and hectic place but everyone is generally in a good mood and there is plenty of laughter. We were impressed by a few large collections of boxes filled by individual groups, especially one where each box had a hand knitted item, obviously made with much love.

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Cathy and Jean

Cathy and Jean

Cathy and Jean

We met Jean for dinner this evening in Falls Church, at a place called Fava Pot. It’s quite good and the servings are generous. We’ve only been twice, as it’s not really in our neighborhood, but it was a good meeting place between our two homes. Jean starts a new job on Monday and is a little anxious about that but we’re looking forward to hearing about how well it goes. Naturally we also talked about our children and what they’re up to. It was a good time and we were certainly glad to get together with her before she’s busy with the new job. Sorry for the exposure. I decided to not use flash for this, so the lighting was a bit rough.

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Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all. We had a really nice time and a great meal. I’m not actually a huge fan of turkey but it’s what’s done so that’s fine. Mom bought and I cooked a 19+ pounder and it turned out pretty well, if I say so myself. It was good to have the family here and the only thing I could have asked for was having Dorothy home. She comes home soon, though, and I’m looking forward to that. She originally was planning to come back for Thanksgiving but decided to extend a few weeks and that’s fine, of course. Here’s the family that was here.

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Kai

Kai

Kai

Between our trip to Alaska and various other commitments on weekends, we haven’t seen most of the family for quite some time. It was really nice getting together with mom, Tsai-Hong, Steve, Kai, Iris, and Silas for dinner this evening and then to have a chance to talk and take pictures of the boys back in mom’s apartment. The boys generally take a while to warm up to me when we get together. Kai takes less time, mostly because he’s older and more likely to remember me from one visit to the next, but even he is shy at first. His younger cousin, Silas, is still much more hesitant and bashful.

I got a few good pictures of each of them, though, including this one of Kai. He has a mischievous streak—not uncommon in children—that’s very endearing and cute. I’m really enjoying watching him grow.

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Jan and Cathy

Jan and Cathy

Jan and Cathy

Back in 1998 we met Jan for the first time. Our friend Susie organized a surprise for Rob’s birthday and we flew to Phoenix along with other friends and it was there we met Jan for the first time. Since then we’ve traveled together a few other times, including a big trip to Italy two years later and we’ve seen her occasionally over the years. Dorothy stayed with her when she was in California this summer. Jan was in town for the Navy football game and an event honoring fallen US Naval Academy alumni, including her brother. We were excited to get together with Jan and Rob for dinner at the Pines of Rome in Bethesda. Sadly (except she does enjoy traveling) Susie was in Warsaw Otherwise she would have tben there, too.

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Mill Creek

Cathy

Cathy

We went for another walk in the woods today, further upstream in the same watershed. After church we walked through the Stadtman Preserve and down to Mill Creek. As we were coming down the hill we saw a fox, which was pretty cool. There was not much chance we’d be able to get close enough for a good photo so I didn’t even bother trying. We followed Mill Creek down towards Lake Needwood. I took this photo of Cathy standing next to the creek a little ways into the walk.

It was cool but not cold, with a light overcast. Cathy wore a jacket although I was in my shirt sleeves (and they were rolled up, at that). It was very peaceful and pleasant. There was one area where we could hear traffic on the inter-county connector (Maryland 200) but for the most part, it was as quiet as you could hope for.

Mill Creek

Mill Creek

After a while we decided to cross to the south side of the creek, where there is a regular path. It isn’t heavily used but there is a small bridge over a side stream and we did see one other person on that side of the creek. This photo was taken shortly after we crossed the creek and a little before the spot where we turned around. I’m pretty pleased with this photo. I think the leaning trees give it a little interest. The colors were quite nice, too.

I didn’t have a map with me and hadn’t looked at one any time recently. If I had, I’d have known how close we were to Lake Needwood. Where we turned around, if we had just gone around the next bend, we’d have come out at the northern end of the lake. We’ll definitely want to do that walk again and go a little further.

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Jean and Cathy

Jean and Cathy

Jean and Cathy

We went to see Cathy’s best friend (and my good friend) Jean this evening. She wanted to take us out for Cathy’s upcoming birthday but instead I brought things and made panang curry, brown rice, and roasted cauliflower with caraway seeds. I don’t mind going out for a meal, of course, but it’s easier to visit in a home and I don’t mind cooking, especially something that I can make without too much thought. Jean gave Cathy a card (that she’s holding in this photo) and this ‘wonderful’ tray for eating in bed. The note on the tray says, “A Priceless Antique . . . from back in the day when being a troll was NOT a bad thing!”

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Brian, Lisa, Nathaniel, and Us

Brian, Lisa, Nathaniel, Cathy, Henry, and Dorothy

Brian, Lisa, Nathaniel, Cathy, Henry, and Dorothy

It’s our last evening in Juneau and we went out to dinner with our good friends Brian and Lisa and their son Nathaniel. This photo was taken by Nathaniel’s girlfriend, Alex and it’s nice to have a picture with all of us in it. We were sad to be leaving and could easily have been happy staying another week or even two. We’ve know Brian and Lisa since early 1986 and Dorothy’s been living with them since she arrived in mid July. I’d say it’s been very good for her to be here, although not without its struggles. But as a wise man once said, “Life is pain, highness. Anyone who tells you different is trying to sell you something.”

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Cathy, Henry, and the Dogs

Cathy, Henry, and the Dogs

Cathy, Henry, and the Dogs

This photo wasn’t taken by me, but I’ve already posted two photos from today that I did take, so I think I can get away with it. I don’t appear in many photographs and for the most part, that’s my preference. Nevertheless, I’m trying to learn that if I want to expect others to let me take their picture, I need to be willing to return the favor. Dorothy took this with my camera and while I don’t think it’s a particularly good photo of me, it’s at least evidence that I was there. Nugget falls is larger than it looks in this photo. The reality is that we’re quite a ways from it. If we walked so that we were right below it, you’d see how high it really is. I have a few photos like that, but this isn’t one of them, so you’ll just have to trust me, or better yet, go visit it for yourself.

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Cathy at the Mendenhall

Cathy at the Mendenhall

Cathy at the Mendenhall

We have a very fond and somewhat funny memory from the winter of 1986-87. It was on a relatively mild day in February when Cathy, Brian, Lisa, and I drove out to the glacier. There was eight to ten inches of snow on the ice on Mendenhall Lake and there were kids sledding on the hills of glacial moraine. Brian, Lisa, and Cathy walked out into the snow on the ice wearing boots and their bathing suits. They took off the boots and settled on a blanket laid on the snow (which naturally sank into the snow when they sat down. I took a handful of photographs of them, pretending it was a lovely day. Actually, for February in Juneau, clear skies make it a lovely day, regardless of the temperature. Anyway, here’s Cathy, 32 years later, in front of the Mendenhall, although she was dressed more warmly today than she was on that day in February.

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On The Road (Metaphorically Speaking)

Cathy at LAX

Cathy at LAX

Cathy and I began a ten day trip today, getting up at 3:40, driving to the commuter parking lot on Georgia Avenue and catching the 4:21 bus to BWI airport. That was the beginning of a 23 hour journey spanning four time zones. Our first flight left BWI at 7:00 AM EDT and arrived in Los Angeles at 9:45 PDT. Add three hours to that for the time zone change and we were in the air about 5 hours and 45 minutes. We had an equally long layover in LAX, not leaving until 2:40 for Seattle. We walked nearly two miles from terminal 6 through tunnels under terminal 5 and then up and through terminal 4 to the Tom Bradley International Terminal (a.k.a., Terminal B), walking the length of that (and back). That wore us out but also passed a good bit of time.

This photo, taken from Terminal 6, is of Cathy resting her ankle briefly with a view of “The Theme Building” in the background. We had lunch and then went to our terminal ahead of boarding. You know how in airports there are often announcements where a person is named, but it’s never you so you don’t pay attention? While we were waiting for our flight, the woman on the PA called my name and asked me to come to the service desk. Needless to say, I was surprised. I was even more surprised when I went to the counter and she handed me my driver’s license. It had been in my pocket and apparently fell out. The amazing thing is that not only was it found but someone went to the trouble to find out where my next flight was leaving from and get it there. I didn’t know it was even lost until it was returned. I was more than a little grateful.

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Silas

Silas

Silas

I’m getting pretty far behind on posting photos here. Never fear, I’ve been taking photos and they will make it eventually. I can tell you now there are some nice pictures ahead (as well as some that are not terribly exciting, I’m afraid). Anyway, we had a family dinner night and the boys were there, Kaien and Silas. Both continue to grow and are becoming their own individuals. Kai really enjoys bouncing on the hobby horse and is getting fairly comfortable really bouncing. Silas is a bit more reserved and cautious, which is fine, of course, as he’s quite a bit younger. I like this photo of him, in which he isn’t exactly smiling exuberantly, but which is still a good picture. He’s a sweet boy and fun to play with. We hadn’t gotten together for a while for various reasons, including that Tsai-Hong was traveling in Africa. When we go longer between seeing each other, he takes a little longer to open up when we do.

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Margaret, Shaima, and Inez

Margaret, Shaima, and Inez

Margaret, Shaima, and Inez

We drove to Virginia today and Margaret met two friends for lunch at a Persian restaurant called Shamshiry. The name comes from comes from the Farsi word for a curved sword from the Middle East. While they had lunch, Cathy and I ran some errands. We tried to go to a bakery but were stymied by an Octoberfest that had some streets closed to auto traffic. We made our way around that and headed back to pick up Margaret. I took a few photos of her with her friends, Shaima, and Inez, one of which is my photo for today.

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An Unexpected (But Very Welcome) Visit

Margaret with Friends

Margaret with Friends

Margaret had an unexpected call from and visit by some friends today. Unexpected, but very welcome. Henry and Dieu live in Florida, which is the main reason the visit was so unexpected. They happened to be in town visiting family and came to say hello to Margaret while they were here. They came with Henry’s sister, brother-in-law, and uncle and it was lovely to see them. It was nice to get caught up on their lives and that of their son, Phillip, who is a couple months younger than Dorothy. They posed for a few quick pictures with Margaret before they left.

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Margaret’s Birthday

Ellie, Mimi, Margaret, and Cathy

Ellie, Mimi, Margaret, and Cathy

We went to lunch for Margaret’s birthday today, meeting two of her friends for Iranian kebabs at a place in Germantown called Johnny’s Kabobs (an valid alternative spelling, apparently). Their menu is a bit more extensive than Moby Dick, a local chain, but similar otherwise. It wasn’t particularly busy but that meant that I didn’t have to bother other customers by using my flash, so I was able to take a few pictures. This one is, I think the best, although one of the heads in this photo came from a different exposure. Getting four people to smile all at once is harder than it ought to be.

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Lunch with George and Carmela

George and Carmela

George and Carmela

Cathy and I drove up to George and Carmela’s today for a short visit. We had no trouble with traffic and we made pretty good time. We didn’t stay long but George had prepared a really nice lunch with homemade sourdough bread with robust olive oil spread on it and then covered with ripe, fresh tomatoes and sprinkled with feta cheese and Sicilian oregano. Obviously there are a lot of good flavors but fresh, very ripe tomatoes, served at room temperature, have to be right up there. These were wonderful and the corn on the cob as good, too. Of course, the visit was the main thing, and it was nice to have a few hours together before we turned around and drove home.

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Cathy Weeding

Cathy Weeding

Cathy Weeding

Cathy and I have been trying to recover from the small amount of work we did in the garden in 2018. This year has been mostly recovery mode without a lot of additions but a lot of pulling and digging, trying to get at least some parts of the garden back to more garden plants than weeds. It’s an up hill battle. Along the back fence there was a huge stand of goldenrod, pokeweed, and bindweed. Cathy dug up a bunch of roots a few weeks back and we worked a bit more on it this weekend. As you can see, the central bed is full of black-eyed Susan’s and we have the volunteer American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) growing there (the purple berries on the left). We dug out a bunch of weeds there last week, as well. Tomorrow I plan to dig up some roots that remain from the maple trees that used to be there.

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Henry and Cathy — 35 Years

Henry and Cathy — 35 Years

Henry and Cathy — 35 Years

Thirty-five years ago, Cathy and I were married. Has it been magical? I’m not sure I’d go that far. But it’s been pretty darn good and I think we’ve shown we’re in it for the long haul. I won’t say there haven’t been any rough times but over all I’d say we’ve done pretty well. There have been trials from outside and we’ve weathered those together. There have been trials from within and we’ve made it through those, also. I lean on her, she leans on me, and so far we’ve managed to stay standing, even if we stagger from time to time. I won’t claim to be a magnificent catch, but I try to do my part and she seems to be okay with me. Of course, as in all relationships that are worth anything, we try to remember to set aside a little time for silliness. Humor, which often means sarcasm, is a big part of the equation. Anyway, the deal was supposed to be that we’d grow old together. As you can see from the photo, she’s not growing old as fast as I am, which I think is a little unfair.

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Silas

Silas

Silas

I met Tsai-Hong, Iris, Seth, and Silas at mom’s this evening for dinner. My back has improved quite a bit and I actually put in seven hours work from home. I did take a break to ice my back and I tried to get up and move around now and then. I came to mom’s without my camera bag, though, because it’s a bit heavy and that would be asking for trouble. I did bring my camera and flash, though, because I knew Silas would be there and as you can see, he was in a pretty good mood this evening.

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Cathy In The Back Garden

Cathy In The Back Garden

Cathy In The Back Garden

With my back still bothering me, I stayed home today. I did put in a little time at work, mostly a long phone call to discuss a proposal that is being written for a project that includes a web site. When Cathy got home from work I asked if I could take her picture for my photo of the day. She agreed and I took almost two dozen shots of het with her flowers. Most obvious are the Rudbekia (the Black-eyed Susans). There is also orange and yellow butterfly weed Asclepius tuberosa) on the right. In front of that is the pale pink spider flower (Cleome). There are other annuals in pots and there is the red teapot lower down.

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The Cousins

The Cousins: Dot, Mary Ellen, Ann, LaClaire, and Glenn

The Cousins: Dot, Mary Ellen, Ann, LaClaire, and Glenn

We had our annual family reunion on the way home from the beach this year. It alternates between the Saturday we head down and the Saturday we head home. Either way, it makes for a long day but I for one really enjoy it and it’s one of the highlights of my year. I manage to keep in pretty good touch with a few of my second cousins and it’s good to see them face to face. We didn’t take a large group photo today but I got pictures that included most, if not all the 50 or so people there. We did get pictures of the five remaining first cousins, who were all there.

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The Family At The Beach

The Family

The Family

As usual, we took a family photo at the beach on the last day when everyone was still there (George and Carmela left shortly after the photo was taken). Tsai-Hong and Cathy had gone for a walk and were a long time getting back, which created some tension. Of course they were understandably not anxious to sit for a picture the moment they got back. They had walked to the far end of the island and back, covering over eight miles. The weather cooperated, though, as the light overcast meant we didn’t have to squint into the sun or put our faces in shadow by facing away.

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The Youngest Generation

Kaien, Silas, Audrey, and Nora

Kaien, Silas, Audrey, and Nora

We have one evening each year where we all go out to dinner together, both our family and my Uncle George’s family. We were 26 for dinner this evening and if you’ve ever gone to a restaurant and said, “party of 26” you’ll have some idea what that’s like. Actually, this restaurant, the Inlet View outside of Shallotte, North Carolina, is pretty well equipped for groups that size. Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to go early, if you don’t want a really long wait. After dinner we tried to get a photo of the youngest generation. Taking a picture of four children aged between just over a year and not quite five is a challenge, and this is about as good as I was able to get. At least none of them are screaming.

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Silas On The Beach

Silas On The Beach

Silas On The Beach

It’s interesting how differently children react to things. Take the beach, for instance, and the waves from the ocean. Silas seems to really love the water and is happy sitting at the edge of the surf, letting the water come to him. His cousin is more apprehensive. I have no doubt that Kaien will grow into a love for the water to match his father’s but for now, he’s not so sure. Of course, a year from now, Silas might have traded his enjoyment for a more cautious approach. Every kid is different and even one kid changes from year to year. But for now, this little man is enjoying the beach.

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Dinner with Friends

Dinner with Friends

Dinner with Friends – from left: Cathy, Jonathan, Vicki, Ian, Susie, Rob, and Annie

I got an email this morning from Rob who asked if we were interested in having dinner this evening. That by itself was enough, but he also mentioned that Ian and Annie were visiting from France. Naturally we were happy to be included. Many years ago Susie organized a surprise birthday trip for Rob and we were included on that trip. We have traveled with them a few other times on other surprise birthday trip, including a huge surprise trip for Cathy to Venice and Florence, Italy. We don’t see Ian and Annie as often any more, as they’ve been living in France, but it’s great when we get the chance. We don’t even see Rob and Susie as often as we’d like and we need to make more of an effort. But when we do get together, it’s always worth it. It just seems so natural to be together.

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Silas and Iris

Silas and Iris

Silas and Iris

The locals got together for a family brunch early this afternoon and then went to mom’s apartment to visit for a while and to enjoy watching her great grandchildren play. Since I saw him last, Silas has begun to walk. He’s not walking all the time yet, but he’s taken multiple, intentional steps. It’s been fun watching him progress and I look forward to continuing. His older cousin was there, as well, and I got pictures of him, too. I probably should keep track and try to balance out who gets their picture posted but I frankly can’t be bothered. They’re both adorable little boys and I enjoy them both.

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Margaret with Ugo and Jennifer

Margaret with Ugo and Jennifer

Margaret with Ugo and Jennifer

As you may remember, we spent much of 2018 cleaning out Cathy’s mom’s house and getting it ready to sell. It went on the market the first week of September and we had a contract a couple months later. There were some delays going to closing but we got there on March 1 of this year and I think everyone was satisfied with the deal. The buyers, Ugo and Jennifer, were very nice and invited us to an Independence Day cookout. There was some rain but that didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits. The smaller kids certainly didn’t mind, as they were playing in the inflatable water slide that Ugo and Jennifer had set up in the side yard. Before we left, they posed with Margaret for a few pictures. We had a good time talking with a few different people and of course it’s hard to go wrong with burgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, and barbecued chicken.

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Amelia and Kasia

Amelia and Kasia

Amelia and Kasia

I happened to be upstairs today and my friend and coworker Katie told me that she was going to pick up her daughter from art camp and bringing her back to the office for the rest of the day. I asked if she would mind if I took some pictures. I’ve done that off and on for years and it’s fun to look back through them and see how she’s grown. Today’s picture is with another friend and coworker, Kasia. I think this one turned out quite well. I don’t take a lot of pictures at work, as that’s not really something that’s done, but occasionally I do and I appreciate having at least some photographic record of people I’ve worked with.

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Silas on Hobby Horse

Silas and Iris

Silas and Iris

When I was little we bounced on this hobby horse, made with a truck leaf spring to provide the bounce. Technically it isn’t 100% the same as the one we bounced on, as the spring has been replaced. It broke when an adult who shall remain nameless bounced on it, somewhere around 30 years ago. Although she doesn’t really have room for it there, mom has it in her apartment. Silas isn’t old enough to hold on and bounce on his own but he really enjoyed bouncing on it with his mom holding him. He’s a happy kid, in general, and smiles a lot, but watching his face while being bounced on the horse was so precious. Silas continues growing apace and although he’s not quite walking as of today, it’s definitely in the any-day-now category.

Steve and his family were out of town for the weekend so it was a smaller group for dinner this evening, but a really nice time.

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Amy and Melanie

Amy and Melanie

Amy and Melanie

We went to the annual Erick’s Hope (http://erickshope.org/) benefit this evening and it was good to see people that we don’t see nearly often enough. That’s our fault, of course, we just get busy and forget to schedule anything and time goes by and it doesn’t happen. When something is on the calendar and we go, it reminds us and we try to do a little better, but life seems to be pretty crowded these days. Of course today we had Dorothy and Abba with us, who leave tomorrow on their cross-country adventure, so we didn’t want to stay out too late. But we didn’t want to miss it, either. Two of the people we always enjoy seeing are Amy and Melanie, who we can generally count on seeing as they manage the silent auction.

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Maria and Evan

Maria and Evan

Maria and Evan

As mentioned yesterday, we went to southern Virginia for a wedding. This is one of the pictures I took at the wedding, with Maria and Evan, now husband and wife, recessing after the ceremony. The weather was pretty good. A little warm for my taste but then, if I was comfortable, most everyone else would have been shivering. There was the threat of rain but it held off and everything went beautifully. Maria was even more lovely than ever and the wedding went off with only one hitch (they got hitched). Here’s to the happy couple.

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Wedding Weekend

Dorothy with Loaded Van

Dorothy with Loaded Van

Our good friend Maria is getting married tomorrow and we drove to southern Virginia this afternoon. We offered to transport a few things so we stopped in northern Virginia to pick up two corn hole games, a croquet set, four trash cans, and 14 plants, plus a few other odds and ends. We had hoped to have my mom’s Toyota minivan but alternator trouble meant we went in the Mercury Villager, instead, which is a bit smaller. We managed to get everything in, although Dorothy had a mandevilla on the end of the back seat with her.

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Steve and Kaien

Steve and Kaien

Steve and Kaien

We had a family dinner at mom’s this evening and both of the youngest generation were in top form. Kai is really starting to be able to communicate well and he was willing to pose with his dad for some pictures. Getting them both looking at the camera and smiling at the same time is as hard as you might imagine but this one turned out quite well. Silas took what you might argue was his first step this evening. He stands withoug holding on pretty well. Basically, he moved his left foot to keep his balance and I’m counting that as taking a step.

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Dismantling Dorothy’s Art Show

Dismantling Dorothy's Art Show

Dismantling Dorothy’s Art Show

As the weekend wound down, we had a busy but nice Sunday. After church we had a very nice lunch with Emiko and her family at a house they had rented for the weekend. It was really nice to get to know them a bit better. After that we returned to the art gallery to dismantle Dorothy’s installation. Before taking it down I took a series of photographs of various parts of the piece. I have overall views taken two weeks ago but I wasn’t able to get many closeups then. With a tripod and a bit of time, I was able to get them, some from the top of a scaffolding, so I wasn’t looking up from the floor. Then we pulled all the pins and collected the various pictures, booklets, and related paraphernalia that made up much of the piece. The painted portions will be painted over, of course. If you were not able to see it, I’m sorry, it is gone forever.

But not without photographic evidence.

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Dorothy’s Graduation

Dorothy (and Doug)

Dorothy (and Doug)

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, Dorothy graduated from college this weekend. We arrived in the rain at about 2:30 on yesterday (Friday) and after a little while went to the Baccalaureate service from 5:00 to 6:30 or so. When we came out, the sky had cleared and it was cool and quite beautiful out. We had been invited to dinner at the home of one of Dorothy’s friends and that was a really nice time, relaxing and comfortable, eating pizza out of their boxes, as it was meant to be eaten.

Today, the sky remained clear and cloudless. In fact, if anything, it was a little too warm and we all got a bit of sunburn. But it was a glorious day for an outdoor graduation ceremony. The students went across the stage in groups, alphabetically by their departments. The Art Department was first, and Dorothy was the fourth graduating senior to cross the stage. She was met there by our friend, Doug, who was there as a member of the Board of Trustees. He stayed long enough to walk off the stage with Dorothy before heading to the airport to catch his flight home.

Dorothy and Cathy

Dorothy and Cathy

Of course, one problem with being right at the beginning of the ceremony is that the rest of the time you don’t really have anything to do. That’s not to say I didn’t take any more pictures, of course, because we’ve gotten to know some of Dorothy’s friends and I tried to get pictures of them crossing the stage, as well. I got some good pictures (as well as plenty that aren’t all that great) but I did my best. The sun was pretty intense, which made it a little harder. After the 180 minute program, there was a serious amount of milling about and a lot more opportunity for pictures of Dorothy with her friends. It took us all a little while to find each other but eventually we managed it. First up is this picture of Dorothy with her mom, who is obviously and rightly proud of Dorothy for all she’s done in the four years she’s been at Gordon.

Z, Dorothy, Bruce, and David

Z, Dorothy, Bruce, and David

As an art major, obviously the Art Department played a significant role for her. I know she’ll keep in touch with a lot of her friends but it’s less likely that she’ll be actively in touch with her three art professors. Nevertheless, I wanted to get a picture of her with them. She had asked about the stoles that many graduates were given to wear. She was told that the art students could were stoles if they made them. As you can see, they made them for professors James Zingarelli, Bruce Herman, and David West, as well.

Dorothy, Andrew, and Jonathan

Dorothy, Andrew, and Jonathan

After the pictures with her professors, we took quite a few with Dorothy’s friends, as you might expect. Jonathan, on the right in this photo, lived with us the summer before last. It was nice to be able to watch him graduate and especially nice to meet his parents, who came all the way from Malaysia, arriving just in time for yesterday’s service. Andrew and Dorothy have been very good friends and together form the musical team known as Kinsman.

Rachel, Taylor, and Dorothy

Rachel, Taylor, and Dorothy

This picture of Dorothy with Rachel and Taylor sort of goes with the previous one. Rachel is engaged to Andrew and their wedding is in two weeks. Dorothy will be there for that and is one of Rachel’s bridesmaids. Taylor and Jonathan are dating, as well. We’ve only recently gotten to know Andrew, Rachel, and Taylor very well in the last year, but are glad to know them and feel like Dorothy has some really high quality friends.

The Dexter House Crew

The Dexter House Crew

Eventually we left the campus and headed back to the house where Dorothy lived this year. Sadly, the school is selling Dexter house, so they will be the last cohort of students to live there. Needless to say, there was joy and sadness as they said farewell to each other. They are headed in all different directions, both in the short term and the long term. One is leaving for Israel tomorrow, another for Iceland. I don’t know where all the others are going next but this was a really tight-knit group and I won’t be surprised if they join up as a group in the years ahead.

Henry, Dorothy, and Cathy

Henry, Dorothy, and Cathy

Finally we went to a party given by the local families of a few of Dorothy’s friends. Bob and Barb hosted and there were a lot of students there with their families. It was a casual affair with plenty to eat and lots to talk about. I especially enjoyed getting to know the parents of a few of Dorothy’s friends, some of whom I’d have to describe as “our people.” This is a time of transition and that can be scary and uncertain, but one thing is sure. Dorothy went to college with a lot of the same worries she’s facing now and has come away with a really wonderful group of friends, some of whom I suspect will be friends for life. I certainly hope so.

It was a busy, tiring, beautiful, exciting, long, day. Congratulations, Dorothy!

P.S. I didn’t take that last picture. Just saying.

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Baccalaureate Service

Baccalaureate Service

Baccalaureate Service

We drove up to Massachusetts again, having been there two weeks ago for Dorothy’s art show. This time it’s her graduation and it is just Cathy and me, without Dorothy’s grandmothers. We had traffic problems around Boston, with rain and accidents on I95 but we left early enough that we were here in plenty of time for the Baccalaureate service held this evening from 5:00 to 6:30. We had good seats in the front row of the balcony and I took a few pictures. The candle lighting portion of the service was particularly nice, which is what is shown here.

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Cathy

Cathy and Begonias

Cathy and Begonias

We took our annual Mother’s Day outing to the garden center today for Cathy to buy the annuals that she’ll plant around our yard and garden. After a hot and clear day yesterday it was quite cool and rainy today. When we got to Fehr’s Nursery in Burtonsville we were the only customers there. Others came and went while we were there, though, and considering the weather, they were doing pretty good business. Much of what Cathy was shopping for is in their greenhouses, so the rain didn’t really affect us too much. I did what I usually do in these situations, wander around with my camera and take pictures of flowers. I was taking pictures of these flats of red-flowered begonias when Cathy happened to come by, so I got this picture of her in front of them.

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Silas

Silas

Silas

Iris was out of town and it was Seth’s birthday so we thought we would bring him dinner and have a short visit. It turned into a family dinner night, which was fine and in fact, really great. We had both of the next generation there, Silas and Kaien, so there was plenty for me to photograph. Kai, as the older cousin, is much more aware of and involved with things going on in the room. He is also talking quite a bit although I can’t say I always understand him on the first try. Silas is less involved but he is definitely becoming aware of things going on around him. With his mom not there and with only having had a short nap today, he was somewhat subdued. I think that comes through in this photo of him. He’s very good-natured and seems relaxed, at least as long as one of his parents is very close by. It’s been a lot of fun watching him grow and we’re so thankful that Iris and Seth (and Steve and Maya) are living so close.

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Picnic On The Beach

Picnic On The Beach, Gloucester, Massachusetts

Picnic On The Beach, Gloucester, Massachusetts

After church this morning, we met up with a friend of Margaret’s and they went off together to visit. The rest of us went for a picnic on the beach. It wasn’t particularly warm and the sky was overcast but it was nice to be outdoors. We put a blanket down on the sand and made sandwiches (because on the beach, you can eat the sandwiches there). The herring gulls (Larus argentatus) were all around and hoping for any food that might come there way. I’m afraid they didn’t get much from us.

Boston from Gloucester

Boston from Gloucester

As we drove back we stopped at Niles Beach. From there we could see Boston, just over 25 miles to the southwest. I like the atmospheric quality of this photo so thought I’d include it along with the picture above of our picnic. I also like the not quite parallel lines of waves gently rolling in and changing with the subtly changing light.

After our outing, we visited with some friends in the area and then in the evening went to the penultimate Catacombs of Dorothy’s college career. It was a really nice time and a nice way to end the weekend visit.

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Beaver Attacks Woman

Beaver Attacks Woman

Beaver Attacks Woman

We spent most of the day on the road today, driving up to Massachusetts to visit Dorothy for the weekend and see her senior art exhibit tomorrow evening. It was four of us, Cathy, me, and our two moms (Dorothy’s grandmas). We didn’t have traffic problems to speak of until we got onto Interstate 95 around Boston. Then it took us two hours to go 25 miles. We met up with Dorothy and went to the art building where the final preparations are under way. I’ll post a picture of Dorothy’s art tomorrow. Today, here’s Dorothy pointing out an article about a woman being attacked by a beaver.

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Liberate D. C.

Sara Groves

Sara Groves

Audrey Assad

Audrey Assad

Robbie Seay

Robbie Seay

Audrey Assad

Audrey Assad

Henry, Sara, and Cathy

Henry, Sara, and Cathy

Today was a long day but a good one. After church we made a quick trip to the county transfer station to unload all the sticks and brush that we had filled the back of the van with from the yard. Then we headed to Virginia for a bridal shower for Maria, the older of Jean’s two daughters. That was for Cathy and while she was there, I went to a local park and took pictures of wildflowers, mostly buttercups (Ranunculus species). I went back to pick up Cathy and spent a little while taking pictures of Maria and her friends and family.

We killed a little time and then at about 6:30 went to Truro Anglican Church in Fairfax. I had told Cathy we were doing something in the evening but she didn’t know what. After we got there, I told her it was a concert with Sara Groves, Audrey Assad, and the Robbie Seay Band in a benefit for International Justice Mission (IJM). I had told Cathy she’d be glad and she was. We had good seats and I was able to get a few pictures during the concert. As you might guess, if you think about such things, the blue lights played havoc with the white balance calculations my camera made, but I was able to get the skin tones looking about right.

In addition to the singing, we heard from a few folks associated with IJM, including a representative from the Philippines as well as a rescued former victim of modern day slavery. Their message was sobering, to say the least, so it’s hard to say we enjoyed it. But it’s an important work and we decided to participate on an ongoing basis.

Before the show, Dorothy had sent me a text saying that if I had a chance to talk with Audrey Assad I should tell her about Catacombs at Gordon and then say that she has been more of an encouragement to Dorothy and Mulley than any other single musician. Of course I didn’t really expect to get the chance. As it turned out, we were able to go to a reception after the show and I did, in fact, have a chance to talk with her. I gave her Dorothy’s message, although I’m not sure I expressed it very well. Also, because Dorothy didn’t give me any insight into how, specifically, she had been encouraged, I had to be a bit vague. I do know that Dorothy has sung some of Audrey’s songs at Catacombs.

We also had a chance to chat with Sara Groves. We’ve been fans of hers for about 20 years, since her first album came out. We saw her in concert for the first time in November, 2004. One of the pictures I took that evening was the main pictures on her Wikipedia page for quite a while. We really appreciate her song writing and her willingness to acknowledge that life can be hard, painful, and confusing. We often pretend we have it all together but most of us don’t and it’s good to say so once in a while. She was gracious enough to have a photograph taken with us (actually, she was nice enough to suggest it). This last picture wasn’t, therefore, taken by me.

Thank you, Sara, Audrey, and Robbie (and the band) for what you are doing. If you have any interest is the impossible seeming task of ending slavery, please take a look at International Justice Mission (https://www.ijm.org/).

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Easter Dinner

Easter Dinner

Easter Dinner

Cathy, Margaret, and Lamb Cake

Cathy, Margaret, and Lamb Cake

Iris, Silas, and Seth

Iris, Silas, and Seth

Silas

Silas

The forecast for last night and all day today was for rain. That didn’t happen and it was a gorgeous day. After getting home from church (see previous post on the Easter Sunrise Service) we took a little time to rest, as we were a bit sleepy. Then I started getting the food ready for the Easter dinner we had with family. I had bought a ham and made biscuits, Tsai-Hong brought a really nice salad as well as fruit. Other side dishes and dessert rounded out the meal. Margaret and Cathy made a lamb cake yesterday and it turned out pretty well, although they had trouble getting the eyes and nose to stay in place. Eventually we had to use a toothpick to keep the nose from falling off. Also, we only had golden raisins, so the lamb has light colored eyes, which is a little different to what it normally looks like. It cooked well, though, and was tasty.

Later in the afternoon Iris asked if I’d take a few pictures of Silas and of the three of them out in the yard. It was cool and at first Silas wasn’t sure about sitting on the grass but he got used to it pretty quickly and I got what I think are some pretty nice pictures. It’s no surprise that Silas is growing up and gaining his own personality, of course, and it’s really nice to be a part of that. He’s a happy little boy (for the most part) and is pretty easy going. This will be tested when Iris has to be away for a little while for work, but I’m sure they’ll get through it (not to say they’ll enjoy it, though).

We missed having Kai with us (and Steve and Maya, too, but you know it’s really all about the kids). Nevertheless, it was wonderful to have who we had and we’re really thankful for family. We missed Dorothy, too, and really look forward to seeing her in two weeks. She spent Easter with her friend, Katie, on the New Hampshire / Vermont border. It’s not like being at home and she missed the music that we got this morning, but she’s doing well and finishing strong. We couldn’t be more proud of her.

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Cathy and Daffodils

Cathy and Daffodils

Cathy and Daffodils

This was our fourth Sunday in a row to enjoy the flowers at the Stadtman Preserve. Don’t be too surprised if we’re there again next week. Since daffodils only last so long, I’m going to continue to post pictures while the do. In addition to hundreds of daffodils of many sorts and shades of yellow and orange, the P.J.M. Rhododendrons are really starting to bloom. We also found one bloodroot plant (Sanguinaria canadensis) with a few blossoms. There were spring beauties (Claytonia virginica) and cut-leaved toothwort (Cardamine concatenata) and a few mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum).

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Silas and Iris

Silas and Iris

Silas and Iris

We had a family dinner this evening at Tsai-Hong’s house. We know it was two months late but Tsai-Hong had the flu on the proper Chinese new year so we celebrated in April. She got a flu shot but got the flu anyway. We had a terrific meal and, need I say it, the kids were the star attraction. I took quite a few pictures (even for me) and I am quite pleased with this one of Iris and ten month old Silas. He and Kai almost played together and were both very cute.

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Cathy and Daffodils

Cathy and Daffodils

Cathy and Daffodils

After church this week, for the third week in a row, we walked over to the Stadtman Preserve to see the bulbs. The daffodils are pretty spectacular and entire sections of hillside are yellow with them. The Chionodoxa is still in bloom and there are areas completely dotted with their pretty, blue flowers. I took pictures of Cathy in a few different spots but I had only brought one lens, the 100mm, which wasn’t really idea for that sort of portraiture. This one turned out pretty well, though. Spring it definitely here and we’re loving it.

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Silas

Silas

Silas

Cathy and I helped Seth and Iris move this morning. Their new apartment is very nice and their shorter commute will be a real blessing for them, I suspect. I’ve said at times that I’m getting too old to help people move but this is family and anyway, they don’t have a huge amount of stuff. One small truck load of furniture and two van loads of other stuff and we were done. The carpeting on the floor will be nice for Silas as he continues learning to crawl and the apartment will be easier to baby-proof than where they were. Silas was really good throughout the whole process although I wonder if he understands enough to wonder what was going on. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that I took quite a few pictures of him. I’m really pleased with a few of them, including this one. What a cute kid.

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Andrew and Rachel

Andrew and Rachel

Andrew and Rachel

As I mentioned on the picture of Dorothy lounging in the snow the other day (see Saturday, March 09, 2019), Dorothy is here with some friends. These are two of them and they are engaged (to each other). Andrew and Dorothy enjoy playing music together as the group Kinsman. Rachel is a fellow art student with Dorothy. We have met them both a time or two but didn’t really get to know them at all until this week. I see why Dorothy likes them both, individually and as a couple. Getting a good picture of them has been a challenge, in part because they aren’t crazy about having their picture taken.

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Tim, Karen, and Margaret

Karen, Margaret, and Tim

Karen, Margaret, and Tim

Margaret, Cathy, and I were invited to dinner this evening by Karen and Tim, who are visiting from Michigan. They are staying at the home of some other friends who graciously hosted us, along with a few others. We had a nice time talking about their work with an eye hospital in Afghanistan as well as various other travels. It was a pleasant evening with good food and enjoyable people. I only took a few photos but this one of Tim and Karen with Margaret turned out pretty well.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

With closing on her mom’s house earlier today, I had planned on a celebratory dinner. Margaret already had plans to attend the Missions Banquet at church today, so we’ll have the real celebration next week. Cathy and I decided to go out, anyway, although we didn’t eat anywhere fancy. We went to BGR The Burger Joint, which was fine. The concept of a “gourmet burger” is something of an oxymoron, but it was a good burger, anyway. It was raining pretty hard but we decided to walk from BGR to the Barnes and Noble at the other end of the outdoor mall. We stopped along the way under cover at Copper Canyon Grill and I took a few pictures of Cathy by their fire. It’s a shame that they have to put up a heavy, metal fence to keep people from burning themselves, but I suspect either their insurance company or the local government insisted.

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Tsai-Hong and Silas

Tsai-Hong and Silas

Tsai-Hong and Silas

We had a family dinner this evening with most of the locals there. As is my custom, I took a few pictures. Actually, I took quite a few more than I have most recent gatherings. I’m happy to say that I got a good number of decent photos of the boys. Silas is really starting to show his own personality and is much more aware of what’s going on around him. While he’s not quite crawling, it won’t be long. I got a good picture of him laughing but I’ve decided to post this photo of him with his grandma, Tsai-Hong, instead. I posted a photo of her with Kaien on Friday, March 31, 2017 and it’s only fair that I post one of her with her second grandson.

I learned this evening that Seth and Iris (and Silas) are moving in a few weeks. Fortunately this is a local move so that they can be closer to work. We still don’t know what their long-term job situations will be and we all hope they’ll be able to stay in this area. But, you have to go where the jobs are.

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Benje and Michele

Michele, Margaret, Benje, Cathy, and Henry

Michele, Margaret, Benje, Cathy, and Henry

Most people have relatives of one sort or another. We have quite a few but we know a lot more of them on my side than on Cathy’s. She’s been doing a fair amount of digging into her ancestors on both her mom and her dad’s sides and has learned quite a bit. Of course, she has living relatives, and we know some names but haven’t been in touch with many of them for quite a while. Margaret’s sister was older than her by nearly 19 years. In consequence, Margaret’s has nieces and nephews who were only a few years younger than her. Benje is only a few years younger than Cathy and me but he’s Dorothy’s generation. He came to visit Cathy’s family once and Cathy and I met him when we lived in Alaska, but it’s been more than 30 years. We were very happy to have him and his wife visit us for a few days this week. We had a really good time talking about the family, looking at old pictures, and basically getting to know each other.

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Dot and Some of Her Art

Dot and Some of Her Art

Dot and Some of Her Art

As you know, if you’ve been following me for a while, my mom moved from the house she lived in for 59 years into a retirement community nearby. As they do with most new residents they published a short bio of her for the community paper. In that she talked about some of the art she has created over the years and she was asked if they might display a sample in their small gallery. They have a dozen or so display cases like the one shown here and she gave them some painted china and some small quilt work that she has done, to be displayed for six months.

I saw the display a month or so ago but Cathy wasn’t with us that day so after brunch with mom today we went to see it. The plates she painted include a nuthatch in the upper left, which is actually displayed incorrectly with the bird appearing to be on the ground instead of creeping down the trunk of a tree, as they do. At the upper right is a white-throated sparrow and the two birds on the lower plates are a black-capped chickadee on a wild rose (left) and a Carolina wren. The small quilt at the back of the bottom of the display was inspired by a Pablo Picasso painting of fish on a plate.

She has much more, of course, and has made quite a few much larger quilts but they would not fit into the display case. Also, most of the quilts have been distributed to her children and grandchildren. She showed us one she is working on now and I took a picture of her with that but decided to keep it secret until it is finished and given to its recipient.

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Seth, Iris, and Silas

Seth, Iris, and Silas

Seth, Iris, and Silas

We had a Family Dinner Night today and it was a very nice time. After dinner, as usual, we gathered in mom’s apartment to talk and watch the kids play. Kai, at two and a bit, is really starting to communicate verbally and is a very relaxed, easy going kid. He has an incredibly cute smile and a twinkle in his eyes that reminds me of his grandfather, although he’s certainly his own person. Silas, as 7+ months is not really a brilliant conversationalist yet, but that will come. He’s already starting to show a personality, as you’d expect, and it very cute, as I’m sure his parents will attest. This evening he and his dad were wearing matching t-shirts with Papa Bear and Baby Bear on them. Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, if you will. The ties were a later addition but were a nice touch.

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Cathy In A Peruvian Robe

Cathy In A Peruvian Robe

Cathy In A Peruvian Robe

We aren’t entirely sure how this robe made its way to Cathy’s family’s house. Possibly one of her brothers brought it back from a visit to Peru, where their grandmother lived for more than 20 years. Or perhaps she sent it as a gift to one of them or brought it back herself, when she returned to the USA. In any case, it’s from Peru, possibly from the Machiguenga or the Asháninka, and it is made of cotton. The holes for the arms are fairly small and I was barely able to get my forearms through them. Cathy, with her mild claustrophobia, was a little worried when putting it on that she’d get stuck and need to be rescued, but it didn’t actually come to that. It’s a little long on her, coming to the floor, and the length is just about right for me. It’s in remarkably good shape, especially considering that it’s been hanging in a closet for at least 20 years. I’m not sure what we’ll do with it, though. In general I’d say it isn’t the sort of thing we’re likely to wear around the house or even to go out. But it’s a nice thing.

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New Year’s Day

Seated: Cathy, Margaret, Susie, and Karen. Standing: Dorothy, Kyle, Diane, Rob, Amy, James, and Henry

Seated: Cathy, Margaret, Susie, and Karen. Standing: Dorothy, Kyle, Diane, Rob, Amy, James, and Henry

Once again, we had our now traditional fondue party at Amy’s home. We had two pots for cooking meat and one with cheese and there were two wonderful salads. But of course, it’s not really about the food. It’s about being with people we enjoy. This was our fourteenth in sixteen years and Cathy’s mom was with us for the first time this year. Amy thought to extend her table so we were not quite as crowded while eating. We also stayed longer than we have in past years, getting home after 8:00 PM. It’s a really nice tradition and I was especially glad to have this visit with Rob and Susie, who we see for too infrequently.

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Christmas

Dot with Silas and Kai

Dot with Silas and Kai

As predicted yesterday (and since I wrote it after the fact, there wasn’t much chance of it being wrong), we celebrated Christmas at our house in the morning and then in the early afternoon went to mom’s apartment for our family gathering. For quite a few years, our tradition has been to go to Cathy’s parents’ house for breakfast and opening presents there. Because Margaret has moved here, we had the same breakfast but in our house. That consists of pancakes, poached eggs (steamed, actually), and bacon. There is butter, syrup, and jam to go on the pancakes. Many years it has included sausages but I didn’t have any this year. It’s a pretty satisfying breakfast.

Steve and Kai

Steve and Kai

At about 2:00 we went to my mom’s and gathered with the rest of the family. I got a few pictures of Tsai-Hong with her two grandchildren but decided that I’d post this one of Dot with her two great grandchildren (the same two kids, Silas and Kai, in both cases, obviously). Getting a good picture of both kids, with both of them looking at the camera is a crap shoot, and this isn’t perfect, but they’re cute enough to make up for it.

The final picture is after Steve and Kai blew out the candles on Kai’s birthday cake, to celebrate his recent birthday. It’s a pretty happy moment. Naturally, the candles came back on, because that’s a family tradition, as well.

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Shady Grove Ensemble

Shady Grove Ensemble

Shady Grove Ensemble

The ensemble played at church this morning and we really enjoyed the music. A few instruments are nice but there’s nothing that really compares to the depth and richness of an orchestra. Of course this doesn’t qualify as an orchestra, but it’s as close as a church this size is likely to get. It’s worth it. In addition to the saxiphone, trumpets, flutes, oboe, baritone, euphonium, and viola seen here, there is a trombone on the far right and another sax, a few clarinets, and more flutes on the left. On stage is a piano and drums. All in all, a very nice sound.

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Marsha and Ivon

Marsha and Ivon

Marsha and Ivon

We had our annual holiday party today. It was a bit different to recent years. When I worked for Mike and his group had diminished in size, we began going to the holiday party with the project group we worked with. That is a bit group and while I know a small fraction of the people in it, many of the people I know and work with here are in that group. I generally sat with the same people each year. This year, the various teams of technical workers who are under her in the corporate organizational structure were asked to come to a holiday party together, instead of either a smaller party of their own or the project area party. I know a reasonable number of folk in that larger group, but it was a change, none the less. Still, we had a good time, eating and bowling. This is Marsha (on the left) and her right hand, Ivonzetta. I can’t say I know either of them very well but Marsha sat at our table during the meal and I spoke with them both more today than I have in total up to this point.

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Theresa, Cathy, and Susan

Theresa, Cathy, and Susan

Theresa, Cathy, and Susan

Many of us are not fond of pictures of ourselves. I know that’s true for me and it’s a bit hypocritical of me to insist that others pose for pictures and allow me to post them while I’m not particularly comfortable posing for pictures myself. Nevertheless, I do it. We had a really nice and long overdue dinner with two friends this evening, Theresa (a.k.a. Reeree) and Susan (a.k.a. Susan). It was really goot to get a bit caught up with them, although it’s been so long and so much has been going on that we didn’t really get completely caught up. But it was a start. We also had a really good Thai meal, which was a bonus. Shortly after this photo was taken, I knocked over my water glass and it shattered. A nice way to end the evening.

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Kai

Kai

Kai

We had a family dinner night and I took a bunch of pictures of Kai. In some of them he is being held by his great aunt Cathy and in others by his grandma, Tsai-Hong. Those are grandma’s hands in this picture. The wheel in front of Kai is actually spinning but to get that with some blur would have required a tripod and a little more planning, so just imagine it spinning and catching Kai’s attention. He’s a pretty easy going little boy, at least from what I’ve seen of him Maybe his parents would say otherwise, but he doesn’t really fuss much when we’re together or if he does, he’s easily satisfied.

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Cathy and Bear

Cathy and Bear

Cathy and Bear

I thought I’d post a second picture from our walk at Lake Needwood this afternoon. In the woods, behind the boat house, is this sculpture of a bear. It’s a cool, laid back sort of bear, wearing flip-flops and sun glasses. Cathy figured it was a good day to kick back and watch the world go by, so that’s what she did. There wasn’t a lot of world going by, as it happened. There were occasional walkers but not really enough to keep you interested for long. So, we continued our walk, crossing the dam and walking on a smaller trail around to the Gude Trail before returning to out car.

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Kendra and Dorothy

Kendra and Dorothy

Kendra and Dorothy

There was a lot of coming and going at our house today but I mostly stayed out of it. Kendra and Jacob came over, and I talked with them briefly. Justin and Judah also stopped in for a few minutes and I didn’t do much more than say hello. I spent much of the day either doing crossword puzzles or sorting books in my reading room. I did get out a little in the heavy rain, which turned out to be a bad idea. I went to mom’s because George had left his coat at our house yesterday and I wanted to return it. I also brought a few of mom’s dishes. On the way, however, I went through a reasonably deep puddle and the serpentine belt came off again in our old Grand Caravan. Apparently it’s a known problem, although the van’s mileage is over 267,000 and it’s only started happening recently. Cathy came and picked me up and I had the van towed to the garage again.

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Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

We celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday this year. That’s fairly common for us, as it makes life easier for all involved. It also allowed us to have that great trip to the art museums yesterday, when crowds were a little reduced. George and Carmela drove down and we all gathered at our house this year. With mom in an apartment and Cathy’s mom living here, the two family homes were not available to us. Getting fifteen people (all except Silas) around our dining room table was a little tight. Next year, he’ll be old enough to sit in a chair, so we’ll have to figure out something to get one more at the table. In the evening we took our standard family gathering photo.

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Art Galleries

Abba

Abba

Cathy, Dorothy, and Dorothy’s cousin, Abba, and I went to a few art galleries today. If you’re looking for something to do on Thanksgiving day, you could do a lot worse than visit the National Gallery of Art or any of the Smithsonian museums. The Smithsonian museums are open every day except Christmas and the National Gallery every day except Christmas and New Years Day. Parking is free and there are fewer people than most weekends (and the day after Thanksgiving is generally a lot worse). We started with the National Gallery, parking just over a block away and starting with some sculpture and some other things on the lower level. Then we went up and through the rotunda and to the impressionists. This picture of Abba shows her sketching a painting titled Interior, after Dinner by Claude Monet.

Dorothy had asked each of us to bring a sketch book and to sketch at least three things that caught our eye. Since both of the girls are artists, this came naturally to both of them. Cathy and I had to force ourselves a bit. I drew a sketch from a sculpture by Paul Manship, one of my favorite twentieth century sculptors. It isn’t very good, frankly, and not something I’d be proud to show to anyone.

Dorothy

Dorothy

Abba drew from this Monet and Dorothy from a painting next to it, Théodore Duret, by Edouard Vuillard. The girls have very different styles of drawing but are both pretty tallented. They are quite a lot alike in other ways, however. Beyond the similarity of their hair, they have almost identical taste in clothes, they like much of the same music, their senses of humor fit together quite well, and the basically just get along.

From the National Gallery’s main building, we went through the tunnel to the East Wing, where we saw their collection of more modern art, including Picasso, Calder, and others. On the roof terrace, Cathy was excited to find the large blue cock in the third picture, in front of which she was happy to pose. When the girls were sketching the impressionists show here, Cathy was admiring Child with Toys—Gabrielle and the Artist’s Son, Jean, by Auguste Renoir, in which Gabrielle is holding a toy chicken. So, I guess she just likes chickens. I don’t think she planned her outfit to match the chicken, but she couldn’t have done any better if she had tried. We saw this cock in London, in Trafalgar Square, in 2013, so to see it here was something

Cathy

Cathy

We went back to the tunnel between the wings of the National Gallery and had lunch (it’s outrageously expensive, but they know there aren’t any other alternatives anywhere nearby). Then we went to the Freer gallery to see the Peacock Room, by James Whistler, as well as other works in their collection. That room, in particular, is a favorite and Abba had never been there. We also went to the National Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum (which are in the same building). They have a smaller version of Paul Manship’s Dancer with Gazelles, that I drew from in the National Gallery. They also had an interesting exhibit of works by Kumi Yamashita with shadows being cast that formed faces or bodies but where the objects casting the shadows were basically random. Abba also found a painting by John Singer Sargent that was picked as a match for her by an app that find the classical painting that you most resemble. I have to say, the resemblance was there. In fact, it looks a lot like Laura, another of the cousins.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

It’s that time of year again. “What time of year?”, you may ask. Operation Christmas Child time of year, that’s what. Cathy scaled back this year. Last year when I asked how many boxes she was going to make she said “six, maybe seven.” She ended up with twelve. That was a lot and there was a fair amount of stress involved. I suggested she only do six or seven this year and actually stick to that. She decided that was a good idea, so the fact that she “only” did eight is pretty good. She was also a little less worried about making them all the same this year, and she finished a week early. We turned them in this afternoon after church. In this picture she’s holding five of the eight.

Last year we got a photograph of children receiving boxes that happened to include some that Cathy had packed. You could see the picture of us that Cathy had included in the boxes. That was pretty neat. We’ve had letters from recipients before and that’s always fun, too.

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Dot’s Quilt

Dot and tsai-Hong

Dot and tsai-Hong

Tsai-Hong and I went over to mom’s this evening and put up some art in her apartment. She’s been there a while but there were other priorities and she also wanted to take a bit of time to figure out what should go where. We haven’t finished and there is a sheving unit that needs to be hung on the wall, for which I needed a few pieces of hardware. But we were able to get Sir Roger up, as well as her quilt hanging rod, behind the sofa and shown holding up one of her recent quilts in this photo. We also had a nice dinner together. She has more art than she has wall space to display it on, but we’ll do our best to get a few more things up before Thanksgiving and then she can decide what to do with the things for which there isn’t room.

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Cathy On Her Shoe Phone

Cathy On Her Shoe Phone

Cathy On Her Shoe Phone

I asked Cathy if I could take her picture this evening. She agreed but then when we got around to actually taking them, she was in something of a silly mood. I know that’s surprising to anyone who knows her because silly isn’t really her. Well, it is, but then only sometimes. She posed in various ways in front of a blank wall, which is good for portraits but those aren’t as good as this one, I don’t think. She sat on the end of the sofa and took off her shoe. In stead of putting it down, she put it up to her ear and I took this picture. I can’t see that and not think of Maxwell Smart, of course, but as you can see, her shoe phone works differently to his, which had the phone part in the bottom of the shoe while hers works right side up. When I showed the picture to Cathy just now she said, I’m holding my shoe the wrong way ‘round, meaning the toe should be at her chin. So, I guess I don’t really know anything about how her phone works. I like the colors in this picture and think that’s a big part of what’s so nice about it. The color of the shoe and the curtains and all of it just works. Silly, of course, but as I said, that’s Cathy.

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Kai

Kai

Kai

We had a family gathering this afternoon. Instead of getting together for dinner, though, we had brunch together, which was a nice change. Of course, the centers of attention at these gatherings are the two children, Kai and Silas. Silas slept a fair amount this visit, so I only got a few pictures and they are fine, but not as good as this smile from his older cousin Kai. The weather has finally turned cool and autumnal and we had talked about taking a walk but everyone felt like staying indoors this afternoon instead.

In the evening I did a really stupid thing. I took everything out of my pockets and carried a few things to the basement to do laundry. Because I knew I’d want my phone downstairs, I took it with me. Unfortunately, I left it in my trouser pocket when I put them into the wash. I know people have had success drying out phones that have been dunked but (and I’m writing this more than a week later) after pulling out the battery and drying it in silica gel for a couple days, it’s dead. Still, 4½ years isn’t bad for a cell phone (which is sad in itself).

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David’s Pig Roast

David's Pig Roast

David’s Pig Roast

For at least a couple years my friend David has wanted to roast a whole pig. Thus weekend he finally got his wish. The original date was to be Saturday but it rained until about 9:00 and kept him from getting the early start he needed. So, he moved it to Sunday. By 6:00AM he had the pig up on the spit and the fire going under it. This picture was taken about ten hours later, around 4:00 PM and, as you can see, the pig is getting there.

Because of the change of day, I wasn’t able to stay and help eat any, but I couldn’t let the occasion go by without coming to take a few photos. It turned out to be a lovely fall day, perfect for spending time outdoors around a fire. I also enjoyed visiting with David, Joel, Chris, Theresa, and Lee, however briefly. It certainly got me thinking about the possibility of a pig roast of my own. Or perhaps a sheep or a goat.

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Cathy with Rabbit and Cat

Cathy with Rabbit and Cat

Cathy with Rabbit and Cat

Cathy asked me to take a picture of her with two of her garden ornaments this evening. They both came from the patio at her mom’s house and so far they are on our driveway. Eventually they will go somewhere more appropriate. The taller on is a rabbit, obviously and the lower, which is also a small bird bath, is a cat. The rabbit is not as heavy as it looks, because it’s not actually stone, although it does a pretty good job of looking like it is. It’s also hollow, although it’s heavy enough that it won’t get blown over unless the wind really picks up. In the first few pictures, Cathy was posing as a rabbit, but I prefer this one, which is a more natural pose. The sections of log on the left are from the tree I cut down last Saturday.

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Chicken Coop Dedication

Chicken Coop Dedication

Chicken Coop Dedication

It’s homecoming weekend at Gordon and although were weren’t attending a lot of the scheduled activities, this is one we couldn’t miss. Dorothy and two friends, John and Bobby, submitted a proposal for a chicken coop to be built and maintained behind the road halls and it was approved. The run and coop were built a couple weeks ago and the hens arrived last Sunday. Today was the official dedication of the Village Chicken Coop, also known as the R. Judson Carlbnerg Memorial Chicken Coop.

Admittedly it wasn’t the most attended event of the day but it was on the official schedule and those who came all seemed to have a good time. The chickens got a pumpkin, freshly chopped into pieces and there was cake and sparkling cider for the humans. It was also a beautiful day for it. Yesterday was rainy and chilly but today was pleasant and sunny. We couldn’t have asked for anything more. They are already producing eggs so the project is off to a good start.

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Cathy at Gull Pond

Cathy at Gull Pond

Cathy at Gull Pond

Our first full day visiting Dorothy was a busy one. We had breakfast in Beverly at Cityside Diner, then back to the campus for a convocation in the chapel where Dorothy was one of the students being presented an award (and yet we still don’t know, specifically, what she did to earn it!), and then a walk in the rain while Dorothy was in class. We visited the chicken coop that Dorothy and two friends got approval to build behind the road halls. After that we walked to Gull Pond and back and the color of the light was very nice. As you can see in the reflections, the trees are just starting to turn colors. It was also quite a bit cooler than what we’ve been having at home, barely getting up into the low 60s.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

It was raining quite hard when we left for church this morning. So hard, in fact, that we used umbrellas to get to the car. Generally we don’t bother for such a short walk but it was hard enough that we’d have been quite wet if we hadn’t used them. After church it was still raining but we decided we wanted to be outdoors. We parked across from Old Angler’s Inn and walked up the tow path to Widewater. It was raining lightly as we went and we stopped fairly often to look at wildflowers and other plants as well as rocks and the river. This was taken on a rock beside the path high above the Potomac River just a little way up the tow path from the Angler’s Footbridge.

I took a pair of photos like this and then switched to the wide angle lens. Those pictures show the river as well as lots of trees and rocks but aren’t as good of Cathy. I like this picture quite a bit better.

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Silas and Kai

Silas and Kai

Silas and Kai

We had a family lunch instead of dinner this week and it was great to have Brady here for a visit. Steve was out of town but Maya brought Kai and Silas was here with Iris and Seth. Shortly before Cathy and I left, we put Silas and Kai on a chair together and took a few pictures. Silas isn’t really able to sit up by himself yet and he had a pacifier in his mouth for all but the last photo that I took. Still, it was pretty cute. Maya would tell Kai to kiss the baby and he’d lean over the kiss Silas on the forehead. Then he’d put his hands in front of his mouth and laugh. So sweet.

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Silas

Silas

Silas

We had a family dinner night this evening, gathering at mom’s apartment and having Greek food from The Big Greek Cafe. Only one baby was there this time, with the other out of town, but Silas was generally in a good mood. He’s about 2.5 times his birth weight already and going strong. Still small, of course, but not nearly so little as when he was born. On the other hand, he’s developing much more in the way of facial expressions. He isn’t ticklish yet, but if he is startled, he certainly reacts. It was good to see everyone (or the everyone who was there).

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Maria

Maria

Maria

We went to see our good friends Jean and Maria this evening and had a wonderful time. Maria is recovering from some fairly substantial surgery to her hip and seems to be doing really well. She’s getting around with a walker and should be back on her feet in plenty of time for her wedding next year. We’re really looking forward to that and talked quite a bit about their plans. I fixed panang curry with chicken for dinner and we also had peaches and whipped cream for dessert (it’s hard to go wrong with peaches and cream, unless the peaches aren’t ripe, of course). Mostly, though, we just visited and talked and got caught up on what’s going on in our various lives. We missed Lexi, of course, but we’ll do it again when she’s in town.

Cathy and Jean went to high school together and lost touch after college. They reconnected in the late 1990s and have been best friends again ever since. We visited them in 1999 when she and her family lived in southern Germany and the girls were not yet in grade school. I just went back and looked at those pictures and it brought back some pretty good memories.

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Michael and Tanya

Michael and Tanya

Michael and Tanya

On Easter Sunday I took a photo of this handsome couple and it was pretty well received by those who know them. I’ve known Michael for quite a while but that was the first time I met Tanya. Since then they have become husband and wife and it was good to see them today at their church picnic. I crashed the picnic (technically, I was there as a guest of Cathy’s mom) and enjoyed seeing lots of old friends and acquaintances, including Michael and Tanya. It was a hot day but it wasn’t raining, so that was something. We enjoyed burgers and (even more so) sausages made from Rocklands Farm meat. If you aren’t familiar with the farm, check them out and give them a visit (http://www.rocklandsfarmmd.com/). I often walk off and take pictures of animals and flowers when I’m there but wanted to stay out of the sun today so didn’t. I did get a picture of a Commelina communis flower (Asiatic dayflower), which is a pretty blue flower with only two petals. I also took a few nice pictures of some of my friends’ children, which is generally easier than photographing adults. Nevertheless, this photo of Michael and Tanya turned out pretty well, in spite of the bright background.

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Jane’s Farewell Lunch

Jane's Farewell Lunch

Jane’s Farewell Lunch

I’m old enough now that I allow myself to think about retirement. It’s still a long way off, I’m afraid, unless things change drastically, but not so far away as it used to be. Every year brings me that much closer (which I suppose is sort of the way time works). I went to lunch with some coworkers today to celebrate the retirement of one of our number. Jane (in the pink sweater) is fortunate to be able to retire at such a young age. One thing you might notice about this picture is that I’m in it. I did take this picture but I was also in one taken by someone else. I took myself from that one and added it here (but without feet, if you look carefully).

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Rockville Town Square

Rockville Town Square

Rockville Town Square

Our anniversary was last Saturday but Cathy’s mom was out of town then so she took us to dinner this evening to celebrate 34 years. We went to the Thai place on Rockville Town Square and the place was hopping (the square, more than the restaurant). There was a concert going on and the place was fairly crowded. We had a nice meal but decided to eat indoors so we could hear each other talk. Cathy broke from tradition by getting panang curry, which is what I generally get, except she got chicken while I usually get beef. Then I broke with tradition, as well, and got pad thai, which Cathy usually gets, except I got beef while she usually gets chicken. After dinner we walked around the square once and I took a few pictures, including this one (obviously) from the east end of the square, looking towards the stage.

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Mike and His Baritone

Mike and His Baritone

Mike and His Baritone

I went with our good friend Mike to music practice at church today. They don’t have their ensemble play often but when they do, he likes to participate, playing the baritone horn. He played trumpet in high school and college but he’s moved down the scale to the baritone. I don’t really know a lot about the various horns but I’m a big fan of them in terms of music. I’m also a fan of the lower registers, so the tenor, baritone, and tuba are favorites, just as the cello and double bass are in the string sections and the bassoon in the woodwinds. The ensemble playing this Sunday includes, in addition to Mike’s baritone, a tuba, trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, two flutes, two violins, and a piano. Those instruments were not picked in any scientific manner but are basically what people willing to play have to play. They sounded pretty good, though.

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Kai

Kai

Kai

We had a family dinner night this evening at mom’s new apartment and dining hall. I don’t want to give the impression that I only enjoy these get togethers because of the two grand nephews (and it isn’t strictly speaking even true). Nevertheless, I do enjoy seeing them. Kai is such a cute little boy. He wouldn’t smile for me until his mom said, “Kai, can you cry for Uncle Henry?” This is the grin we got from that request. It’s when he smile that he reminds me most of Ralph, which is good, but also hard. I love this little guy. He’s his own person, obviously, and he has a lot of his mom in his looks, but there are moments when he looks just like his grandpa at that age. Not that I remember his grandpa at that age. When Ralph was Kai’s age I wasn’t quite two months old. But there are pictures.

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Karlee and Patrick

Karlee and Patrick

Karlee and Patrick

It was great catching up with our dear friend Karlee this evening. It was also nice meeting her boyfriend, Patrick. Whether he’s good enough for Karlee remains to be seen, although he seems nice enough. It’s always hard when someone you know well and care about meets someone and you don’t know them. It’s probably natural to be suspicious or doubt that they are good enough. We really enjoyed dinner and being with them. It’s too bad we have to brave the Beltway and the American Legion Bridge during an evening rush hour to see Karlee, but it’s worth it.

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Family Beach Week

Henry, Dot, Danna, Kai, Maya, Steve, George, Carmela, Cathy, Dorothy, Jacob, and Kendra

Henry, Dot, Danna, Kai, Maya, Steve, George, Carmela, Cathy, Dorothy, Jacob, and Kendra

Our week at the beach has come to an end and we leave tomorrow morning. The southern North Carolina beaches are great and I like Ocean Isle in particular. Partly that’s just a matter of familiarity, of course, and people who go to other beaches year after year almost certainly feel the same way. But one thing I don’t particularly care for is the drive home. It’s about 425 miles and the traffic between Richmond and DC is never good, especially on a summer weekend. But, drive it we must. First, however, we took time for a family photo out on the deck. As you can see, we’re sort of looking into the setting sun, so there’s a bit of squinting going on. From left to right: Henry, Dot, Danna, Kai, Maya, Steve, George, Carmela, Cathy, Dorothy, Jacob, and Kendra.

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The Cousins

Catherine, Dot, Mary Ellen, Anne, LaClaire, and Glenn

Catherine, Dot, Mary Ellen, Anne, LaClaire, and Glenn

On the way to the beach in southern North Carolina we stopped in northern North Carolina for our annual family reunion. As usual there was good food and great fellowship. We also took our annual photos. Some years we do generational photos. This year we did families, based on “The Siblings”, none of whom are with us any longer. Except we always take a picture of “The Cousins”. Of the eleven first cousins, five are still with us and are pictured here (along with Catherine, Clinton’s widow). We also took a picture with the other spouses but I like this picture and decided to go with it. We also took a large group picture of the 58 people who were still there at the time it was taken.

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Silas and Iris

Silas and Iris

Silas and Iris

We had a family dinner night ahead of going to the beach. Since Iris, Seth, and Silas won’t be at the beach with us, it was good to get together with them. Silas is growing like a weed, as children do at this age. His cousin, Kaien, is also growing and I have aome pictures of him, as well. But as I post this, we’re back from the beach and I know that I took pictures of him at the beach.

It’s really nice having a baby and a toddler around at family gatherings. They are both wonderfully cute. Of course it’s a bitter sweet joy, as it really makes me miss my brother (and I don’t really need a lot of help on that front). Nevertheless, if I’m going to miss him (and I am) there might as well be two beautiful grandchildren to help offset it. And at least for now, they are in town and we get to see them somewhat regularly.

 

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Fred and Lucy

Fred and Lucy

Fred and Lucy

On November 23, 1886, Cathy’s great grandparents, Fred and Lucy, were married in Sullivan County, New York. This was during the industrial revolution and before the area because known as the Borscht Belt in the early twentieth century. Fred and Lucy moved west. Cathy’s grandfather, Albert, lived in a suburb of Chicago and became a wholesale butcher. Because of that, Cathy’s father, born shortly before the stock market crash of 1929 and Roosevelt’s great depression, grew up with meat on the table. Years ago Cathy and I visited Sullivan County and found what we believe was the family farm, although all that was left was a collapsed barn.

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Dorothy and Abba

Dorothy and Abba

Dorothy and Abba

We drove up to Canterbury Shaker Village today to see Dorothy’s cousin Abba. She has been there all week in their first resident artists program. The program was a success and they plan to repeat it regularly. Abba was chosen as one of only five artists (and one of two painters). We enjoyed seeing her work as well as wandering around the historic, Shaker buildings. It’s a beautiful, peaceful place, only occasionally disrupted by the sounds of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway just over a mile to the east (if you go on a non-race day, you won’t have that issue). We wandered around the gardens and down to the ponds on the eastern part of the property.

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Kendra

Kendra

Kendra

We went to a wedding reception today. Dorothy described it as a fake wedding for a real marriage. This is the bride, Dorothy’s best friend, Kendra. She got married (eloped, actually) last fall. Today, a friend of the family had a wedding reception for Kendra and Jacob. I have a few pictures of both of them but sadly, a few days before the party he broke his jaw in a rollerblading accident and had his jaw wired shut. That makes him look a little dour and I’m not going to post those pictures. With all the talk about straw bans in various places, I hope there will be an exception for people with their jaws wired shut.

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Cathy and Silas

Cathy and Silas

Cathy and Silas

Some of the family got together for dinner this evening at mom’s place. This was our first family gathering at her new apartment and we ate at the dining hall. The food got mixed reviews, with some things being better than others, but none of it was bad, anyway. Of course, one highlight is seeing young Silas, now a little over three weeks old but still not quite up to his original due date. Cathy was happy to get a long turn holding him, and I took a few pictures while she did.

Like most babies, he slept some, cried some, and ate some. Also like most parents, Seth and Iris are pretty tired. Unfortunately he’s got his day and his night mixed up and is sleeping for longer stretches during the day. But he’ll get through it and so will they. In the mean time, he’s absolutely adorable when he’s asleep, as shown here.

As we were leaving, I took a few pictures of the sunset, which was quite nice. Nevertheless, sunsets are a dime a dozen when compared to pictures of babies.

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Maureen and Cathy

Maureen and Cathy

Maureen and Cathy

Tonight was the annual Erick’s Hope benefit dinner. Erick’s Hope (http://erickshope.org/) is a non-profit run by our friends, Richard and Donna, in honor and memory of their son, Erick, who died in 2008. Every year in the last week of June Richard and Donna have a fundraising event. For a few years it was held at The Golden Bull in Gaithersburg but more recently it has been at Montgomery Country Club in Laytonsville. We got to see friends that we don’t see as often as we’d like. Cathy bought two desserts at the dessert auction but we didn’t get anything else. It’s always nice to see Maureen, posing here with Cathy, and her husband, Bob. We see them more than most but still not enough.

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Dot’s Old Place

Dot's Old Place

Dot’s Old Place

On Tuesday I had a picture of Dot (otherwise known as mom) in her new digs. Well, today’s picture is back in the old place. It isn’t quite empty yet, but it’s getting there. As you can see, there are some books that are yet to be either claimed or given away. The lamp (an imitation Tiffany) and the wall hanging are tagged with their new destination. We also need to take down the hooks for her quilt-hanging rod and then put them up in the new place. The cabinets and shelves that dad built around the fireplace have held up pretty well. The original mantel was much more traditional. Dad had asked if he could replace it and when mom finally said yes, she came home to find the old one burning in the fireplace. He wasn’t going to take the chance that she’d change her mind.

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Hannah

Hannah

Hannah

Yesterday’s picture was Abba, one of Dorothy’s cousins on her mom’s side. Today we have Hannah, Abba’s little sister. We had her here for a few days to look through things at her grandma’s house. She was in on Abba and Dorothy’s surprise visit, although we were not and she didn’t give it away. Because we live so far apart, we don’t all get together nearly often enough so it was really nice to have so many here at once. On the other hand, it was a very busy week and by the time we got home and could visit, we were all pretty exhausted. Dorothy rightly suggested that we need to plan a get together with all the cousins in a place and at a time when we don’t have a lot of demands on our time, so we can all just enjoy being together.

Today, Cathy, Dorothy, Abba, Hannah, and Darius went to the zoo and then drove around downtown to see the sights. Naturally, David, Maggie, and I were busy moving things around and clearing out the house. No rest for the wicked.

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Abba

Abba

Abba

We continued working on the house today. David, Maggie, and I worked mostly in the basement. Abba, Dorothy, and Hannah went through things, looking for things they would like to have from grandma and grandpa’s stuff. They each took a fairly wide assortment and those things went into the master bedroom to be moved later.

We started filling our second dumpster today and are making good progress. We also moved some metal shelves and 55 gallon drums out to the curb to be picked up tomorrow for metal recycling by the county. The shelves in particular were quite heavy. I moved three of them with the help of a young friend and then we moved two more with four of us carrying them. I’m glad those are done with.

In the evening we had tacos and visited back at our house. As usual, I took a few pictures, including this one of Dorothy’s cousin, Abba, which I think turned out well.

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Dot’s Place

Dot in Her New Home

Dot in Her New Home

Mom moved to a condo today in a retirement community. We’ve been very busy with my mother-in-law’s move so were not able to do as much for her as perhaps we should have done, but between George coming down on Friday and staying through the move and the folks at Let’s Move, the move has happened. There is still plenty to do yet at the house but most of her things that she will have at the new location are in place and set up. As you can see, she seems pretty comfortably situated. There will be more adjustments, as well, of course, but the big moving day has come and gone without significant incident.

Oh, and Dorothy drove down from Massachusetts to surprise us. We were very surprised and naturally also very pleased. After a little while at Margaret’s house, we all went to see Dot in her new location.

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Maya and Kai

Maya and Kai

Maya and Kai

With the birth of Silas last week, there’s a natural tendency to take pictures of him. That’s fine, but I need to remember the older cousin, and I do that today with this picture of Kai with his mom. Every time we get together, and it’s not all that uncommon, he starts the encounter being a little apprehensive, as though he has no idea who I am. I don’t know if that’s really what’s going on, but that’s what it seems like. He didn’t take long today (and he usually doesn’t) to warm up again and give me some smiles, particularly when he’s in the safety of his mother’s arms. Actually, we think he maybe doesn’t recognize me until I’m holding my camera. That’s entirely possible.

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Darius and Margaret

Darius and Margaret

Darius and Margaret

David and Darius arrived last night, along with Darius’s cousin, Maggie. They are here this week to help finish dealing with the things in the house. It’s a big task and it’s going to be a grueling week. Cathy and I are going to be off work but I wouldn’t call it a vacation. That’s not to say there won’t be joy and gladness mixed in with the heavy lifting, dust, and debris. Darius, in particular, brings substantial joy. The youngest of Margaret’s grandchildren, he’s a sweet kid (don’t get me wrong, he’s still a boy who can get up to mischief) and it’s great to have him here. Of course, when it comes to the heavy lifting, dust, and debris, he’s not quite as helpful, and I’m really glad to have David and Maggie here.

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Seth and Silas

Seth and Silas

Seth and Silas

Last week I posted a picture of Iris with one-day-old Silas. Today, at age 8 days, this is Silas with Seth. It was really good to get together with the family this evening. It’s been a hard week for a number of different reasons including the one-year anniversary of Ralph’s passing and the impending move that mom is making from her house of so many years. Nevertheless, Silas reminds us that there is also new life and we take great joy in that. He’s a beautiful little boy and his parents are rightly proud and already deeply in love with the little fellow.

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Karlee and Cathy

Karlee and Cathy

Karlee and Cathy

Today was a mixed bag. We had a tough morning, thinking about Ralph on his birthday and missing him, especially with the birth of his second grandson on Thursday. This afternoon, though, we had a much needed distraction, visiting our dear friend, Karlee. She was nice enough to give up the better part of her afternoon to have a late lunch with these two old fogies. We talked about life, the universe, and everything and it was really good to get caught up. As we waited for our lunches, I took a very few photos of Karlee and Cathy.

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Iris and Silas

Iris and  Silas

Iris and Silas

While we were in the ER on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, Iris and Seth also were sent to the hospital (but not the same hospital). After midnight, so early Thursday morning, Silas was born. Cathy and I went over at lunch time today and both of us got to hold him. I have to confess that I really love newborn babies. When I was young, they freaked me out a little, mostly because they are so small and fragile. After having one of our own, I think Cathy and I like them a lot more. Silas is an adorable little thing and we were happy to hold him. I realized after a while that my arms weren’t tired in the least. It won’t be long before holding him for any length of time is a chore but for now, at just over five pounds, it’s pure joy. I took a bunch of pictures, including some with Seth as well as some with grandma holding Silas. I got some of Cathy and she took some of me, also. But I really like this one of Iris. There’s every chance that there will be more photos of this little tyke in the weeks, months, and years to come.

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Kyle, Ariana, and Kaia Michelle

Kyle, Ariana, and Kaia Michelle

Kyle, Ariana, and Kaia Michelle

I got to hold this sweet little girl, Kaia Michelle, this morning, while Kyle was preaching on James 3 and Ariana was sitting just outside the meeting room so the occasional crying wouldn’t be a distraction (the baby’s crying, that is, dad’s sermon was fine). She’s two and a half weeks old and her parents are understandably proud. She’s a beautiful little thing. After church we went outside and I took a few pictures. Getting good pictures of babies less than a month old is somewhat hit or miss. They don’t respond so you can’t really make them look at you. And when they get hungry, you might as well just stop (which is when we stopped). But I think I got a few that are pretty nice, including this one.

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Rosanne and Nick

Rosanne and Nick

Rosanne and Nick

We had a wonderful time visiting Rosanne and Nick in their open garden today. I was looking through old photographs from previous visits. I lot has changed since our first visit in 2002, but a lot has remained the same, as well. With the somewhat odd spring we had this year, with cool weather late into April, which was fairly dry, followed by a lot of rain in mid-May, the early bloomers were still showing off. We usually don’t get to see some of them bloom and that was a treat. Of course, that means the later bloomers were still just in bud. But that’s the change you take. Either way, the garden was lovely. And Rosanne and Nick were their usual, charming, friendly selves.

As usual, I took lots of pictures of individual roses as well as some showing the garden more generally. It’s hard to pick one rose bloom that represents the garden, but if you are interested in rose ‘portraits’ I have a few.

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Jules and Josh

Mrs. Julia and Mr. Josh

Mrs. Julia and Mr. Josh

Cathy and I were fortunate enough to be allowed to attend a very small but also very lovely wedding today. There were probably fewer than 60 people there on this potentially rainy afternoon (it was an outdoor wedding). As it turned out, although it rained a little while we were setting up, by the time most of the guests arrived it had stopped and held off the rest of the day. As you can see, the bride and groom (a.k.a. the Fairy Princess and the DM) were decked out in their finery.

In addition to enjoying the wedding itself and sharing the joy of the bride, the groom, and their families, I had a significant “it’s a small world” experience. I was chatting with Josh’s grandmother. I knew she was from England and that she had lived in or near Cambridge in the past. Well, it turns out she lived on the same street that my family and I lived on. She was married and moved out two years before we were there but her parents were still there. She would have visited them and we were almost certainly on the street at the same time, nearly fifty years ago.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

Today was about 90°F but we had a bunch to do in the yard and we gave it a shot. I started by pulling Canadian thistle (Cirsium arvense), a really pesky weed. That requires gloves and it took me a while to find a pair, with all the disruption that’s happened to our garage. After clearing most of the thistle from the lily of the valley, I moved on to the fence along the south end of the back yard. That fence, a post and rail, is starting to reach end of life. Two posts are leaning badly and a few rails have broken. I pulled up three posts and took out the 12 rails associated with them. I cut them up (chainsaw) and loaded them into the van to get rid of.

This photo of Cathy was taken in the evening, as she was walking across the back yard towards me. She made faces for most of the pictures but then let me take a ‘normal’ shot, with built-in flash to help light up her face in the darkening day (taken around 7:50 PM).

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Kai, Carmela, and George

Kai, Carmela, and George

Kai, Carmela, and George

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, we went up to Pennsylvania this weekend with the rest of my family. George and Carmela came down from New Jersey and Brady from Virginia. The rest of us live relatively close but it was especially good to all be together (missing Dorothy, but college years are like that). Carmela wanted a picture with Kai and this is, I think, the best of those I took. Kai doesn’t have a great smile but I think it’s a good picture. After the near ninety degree heat we had on Thursday and Friday, it was a very welcome relief to have cool weather this weekend. And though we had a little rain, it didn’t really dampen our spirits.

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Omar Bradley Oak

Omar Bradley Oak

Omar Bradley Oak

The family traveled to Pennsylvania today. It’s always good to get everyone together but today was a mixture of joy and sadness. Joy because we were with family, outdoors on a cool day in May. Sad because we came to bury Albert’s ashes. We decided that it would be appropriate to bury them under this large tree, a North American white oak (Quercus alba, not to be confused with the English white or common oak, Q. robur). Based on its circumference, estimates of its age range from about 250 to over 300 years, although we’ve never had it actually dated with a core sample. We’ll just continue to assert it predates the American Revolution.

We used to have a tire swing on this tree and in the 1960s we camped near by in the field that later came to be called the Christmas Tree Field. It’s now difficult to see where the woods ended and the field began, as it’s all pretty much grown up with trees, although there is still a wood duck house on a tree that’s near what was the edge of the field. After we started camping in what is now the yard, we didn’t get over to the tree quite as often.

As for the name of the tree, that was given by some neighbors shortly after the death in 1981 of General Omar Bradley. There is, in some circles, a tradition of naming large oaks after generals and when one of the neighbors mentioned the name to dad, he liked it and it’s pretty much stuck. It’s all very unofficial, of course and this tree is just in the woods on our property, not in a park or other public place. Omar Bradley was the last of nine five-star officers in the US military, having been promoted to General of the Army in September, 1950. Only George Washington and John Pershing, Generals of the Armies (plural) have ranked higher than the nine five-star officers.

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Laura

Laura

Laura

We continued working on Cathy’s mom’s house today, again with Maggie and Laura in town. We started by moving some things that were brought home yesterday into the garage. That’s where this picture of Laura was taken. It’s not the best picture but, as it turns out, it’s the only picture I took all day. So, that’s what you get.

In addition to some work at the house, Laura and I went to a self-storage location and rented a 10×10 foot storage unit. It may not be big enough but it’s a good start and we can always move up if necessary. Cathy and I will be out of town tomorrow and most of Sunday, when the girls leave, so they plan to begin the process of moving things to that. Not everything will go into storage, of course, and we’d like to limit it as much as possible. But there are things we know will take significant time to deal with and we don’t want that to hold up progress on the rest of the house emptying. Photographs, for instance, need to be gone through and that’s going to be a slow process, particularly the slides and even more particularly the overseas travel slides. So, get them out of the way and deal with them this fall.

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Cathy’s Doll House

Cathy's Doll House

Cathy’s Doll House

We’ve been working on emptying out Cathy’s mom’s house and it’s a reasonably big job. They bought the house fifty years ago, so there are naturally a few things scattered about. The four ground floor bedrooms are mostly done (it’s a rambler but with a large basement). A few weeks ago we moved on to working on things in the basement. Between Cathy, our friend Julia, and me, we’ve made some good progress. Last night, two of Cathy’s nieces came and today they helped us make even more. Maggie and Laura are fun, of course, but this was no pleasure cruise. There were boxes to carry and papers to go through. And go through them we did. It was quite warm today, reaching nearly 90°F. Fortunately we were working mostly in the carport and there was a little breeze, so we weren’t too uncomfortable.

Cathy decided that her old doll house had served its purpose and it was time that it be recycled. It’s made entirely of cardboard, so that works out well. She wanted one last picture of it before it went into the van, though.

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A Home Cooked Meal

Theresa, Cathy, and Terry

Theresa, Cathy, and Terry

It’s always nice to have a home cooked meal. It’s especially nice when someone else does the cooking. Actually, while the food was wonderful, it was the one who cooked it that made the evening lovely. Theresa (a.k.a. Reeree) is a very dear friend and she was nice enough to have us over for a little R and R (which I will now take to mean Rest and Reeree). The conversation was wide ranging and there were, as you might imagine, a few laughs, some tears, and a lot of love. Thank you, dear friend.

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He Is Risen!

Easter Sunrise Service, Fourth Presbyterian Church

Easter Sunrise Service, Fourth Presbyterian Church

I believe I’ve said before that this is one of my favorite events of the year. Oh, I enjoy Christmas, Thanksgiving, Independence Day, and other holidays and special occasions. But none quite compare to Easter. We talked about ‘morning people’ this morning. I am one. Cathy, not so much. But we set the alarm for 5:00 AM and left by 5:30, getting to Fourth Presbyterian in time for the 6:00 AM sunrise service. Actually, the sun didn’t rise until after 6:50, when the service was over. It was pretty overcast, in any case, so you couldn’t really tell. We went inside for a lovely breakfast and then went to the regular 8:00 AM service, complete with orchestra and choir. As I write this, I can smell the leg of lamb that’s roasting and shortly will have potatoes in the oven to get crispy. So, I’m looking forward to one of my favorite meals. Happy Easter to all. He is risen!

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Walkin’

Kai

Kai

We had a family dinner night this evening and it was a good time. I don’t want to say that Kai was the center of attention but, well, Kai was the center of attention. We’re expecting some competition for that attention sometime in early July (give or take a week or more). But for now, he’s it and he’ll still get plenty of attention after his cousin in born. He’s one and a quarter today. Apparently he’s been walking quite a bit, mostly at day care and not so much when family is around. Tonight he walked a few times and when he did, he got cheers. When he gets cheers, he cheers himself, and that’s what he’s doing here. He’s very (and rightly) proud of himself. It won’t be long before his parents are run off their feet trying to keep up with this little fellow. He’s quite adorable and so, we adore him.

We had a nice dinner, as well, with dumplings from Mama Dumpling (a.k.a. China Bistro) as well as other dishes. Good as always.

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Middle Field, Third Battle of Winchester

Cathy at Middle Field, Third Battle of Winchester

Cathy at Middle Field, Third Battle of Winchester

As mentioned yesterday, we are visiting Winchester, Virginia this weekend to do a little family history work. This time it doesn’t involve library work. Mostly we wanted to visit the battlefields of the Second and Third Battles of Winchester. Cathy’s great, great grandfather was taken prisoner on June 15, 1863 during the second battle. He spent some little while on Belle Isle in Richmond before being paroled. Today we were able to find the road he and his fellow soldiers were on when they ran into the main body of the Confederate Army.

After that we had a late lunch and then moved on to the battlefield for the Third Battle of Winchester, also known as the Battle of Opequon Creek. This avenue of trees, which would not have been there in 1864, runs through the middle of what is known as the Middle Field where some of the heaviest fighting took place. Cathy’s ancestor was, with the rest of his Pennsylvania Volunteer regiment, fighting in General Wright’s Sixth Corps in General Ricketts’s division. They were along the Berryville Road (now Virginia route 7) about a mile to the south of this point and what is now the site of the Winchester Gateway shopping center. We don’t know when or where in the course of the battle he was killed but sometime that day he died. He is, presumably, in one of the graves marked ‘Unknown Soldier’ in the National Cemetery in Winchester.

Here is a short description taken from CivilWar.org:

On September 19th [1864], Sheridan advanced toward Winchester along the Berryville Pike with Maj. Gen. Horatio Wright’s Sixth Corps and Brig. Gen. William Emory’s Nineteenth Corps, crossing Opequon Creek east of town. The Union advance was delayed long enough for Early to concentrate his forces to meet the main assault, which continued for several hours. Casualties were very heavy.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

We took a mini-vacation this weekend, driving out late Friday evening to Winchester, Virginia. We planned to spend tomorrow and possibly some of Sunday doing a little on-the-ground family history research. Cathy’s great, great grandfather was (we believe) captured during the second battle of Winchester and killed during the third. We hope to find a few significant locations for his regiment of Pennsylvania volunteers. Obviously, I’ll post pictures from tomorrow and Sunday when the time comes.

When we got to our hotel I hadn’t taken any pictures for the day so Cathy was nice enough to let me take a few of her. I like this one best.

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Nobody Here But Us Chickens

John, Cathy, and Grace (with Chickens)

John, Cathy, and Grace (with Chickens)

As I mentioned yesterday, Dorothy is home for spring break and brought four friends with her. Today we drove out to our friends farm in the outskirts of Poolesville. The chicken’s are not really a featured attraction and visitors are not supposed to wander out into the field with the animals. One advantage of being friends with the owners, however, is a little more latitude when it comes to where we are allowed. The kids (and I’m counting Cathy among them) enjoyed catching chickens and putting them back inside the enclosure. Here are John, Cathy, and Grace, each with a chicken.

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Stretching

Stretching

Stretching

Dorothy came home for spring break and brought four of her friends with her. They arrived at about 5:00 PM and I got home a little after 6:00. I fixed a very non-standard shepherd’s pie for dinner, using chicken instead of the more traditional lamb or also quite common beef. There were meat eaters in the crowd but a few who were not eating red meat. Also, fresh shepherd is so hard to find this time of year. Cathy, as is her wont, sat on the floor and stretched. This is most everyone, gathered in the living room, joining in.

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Cathy with a Chinese Dragon Hat

Cathy with a Chinese Dragon Hat

Cathy with a Chinese Dragon Hat

We’ve been going through things at Cathy’s mom’s. We’re getting rid of some things, either throwing away, recycling, or donating. We’ve also kept some things, of course. In the first pass, some things get kept to look at again later. That was the case for this Chinese dragon hat. We don’t know when it came into the house or whether it was given or bought.

It’s quite festive, although not really Cathy’s style. I’ll be posting pictures from time to time of things found. Some of them we’ll keep but probably not everything. Taking the things from two houses (hers and ours) it’s not like we can fit it all into one (ours). So, we have to part with things we might otherwise keep. I’ve also started going through my own things with an eye towards downsizing. The sooner the better. It’s amazing the amount of stuff you can accumulate over the course of a lifetime (and we’re not even done, yet (as far as we know).

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Kai

Kai

Kai

With George and Carmela here for the weekend, it was a good time for a family dinner night. Not everyone could be there but those of us who were had a nice time with Indian food from Bombay Bistro. Not surprisingly, Kai was often the center of attention. Babies and toddlers have a way of doing that. He it poised to make the transition to toddler, as well. He took an unaided step this evening and we all clapped. He looked around, started clapping himself and then sat down. It is not, apparently, the first step he’s taken. It won’t be long before his parents are having to run after him. He’s as cute as ever and he enjoyed pieces of naan along with his teething biscuits. He also loves orange wedges, which great grandma brought out after the meal.

It was warm in the house this evening so he was without shirt, as you can see in the picture. His cheeks are rosy but he seemed quite happy, even if he looked uncomfortably warm.

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Kai

Kai

Kai

We had a family dinner night at mom’s and, as usual, Kai was the star of the show. Seeing him every few weeks (or less often) means that he’s always changed significantly since the last time. That’s getting to be less and less true, of course, but it’s still clear. He was slow to warm up to the crowd this evening but eventually he did. he enjoyed the steamed dumplings from Mama Wok’s in Rockville and also the orange wedges that his great grandma brought out. He wasn’t terribly clever about sticking to the juicy bits and wasn’t happy when he bit into the peel instead. That’s how you learn, though.

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Julia

Julia

Julia

This young woman, Julia by name, is a dear friend and all around wonderful gal. She came over yesterday and today to help us around the house. I didn’t get to see her yesterday or most of today (work, work, work) but she was here when I got home and she let us take her to dinner. Then and for a little while afterwards we got to chat and catch up on things. And she let me take a few pictures of her, so that’s what I’m posting for today. Thanks, Jules.

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Kai

Kai

Kai

We haven’t had regularly schedule family dinner nights for a while, although we’ve seen each over over the holidays. Because Dorothy is about to go back to school for the spring semester, mom asked if we could get together before she was gone. She fixed both a pot roast and a vegetarian stew, both of which were terrific over mashed potatoes. Of course, the highlight of the evening was seeing each other and, as usual, this little fellow was often the center of attention.

He’s been quite expressive for a while now but it getting more and more so every time we see him. I won’t claim that he’s the cutest kid that’s ever lived, as that’s a pretty high bar but he certainly is cute. He’s a happy kid, as well, and getting this smile from him is fairly easy (although catching it on camera is a little harder). I also got some pictures of him with his dad, who was wearing a matching shirt, albeit without the tiger on it.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

Cathy was nice enough to let me take a few pictures of her this evening. They were not anything special but it was nearly 10:30 and I hadn’t taken any pictures today. I asked Dorothy if I could take her picture but she’s not really all that fond of having her picture taken. I certainly understand that, feeling pretty much the same way myself, but of course, as the one taking the pictures, I’d prefer she be more agreeable. Nevertheless, I really do understand and sympathize. But Cathy was fine with it.

Between when this picture was taken and now, when I’m writing this four days later, Cathy’s had a hair cut. If you saw her without seeing this picture or without having seen her for a while, you might not notice. Her hair isn’t short at this point, but before the haircut it was, as you can see, pretty long.

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New Year’s Day

Rob, Diane, Cathy, Dorothy, Karen, John, Kyle, and Amy

Rob, Diane, Cathy, Dorothy, Karen, John, Kyle, and Amy

On January first, 2004, Amy and Kevin had us over for what she described in the invitation as a low-key, relaxed, New Year’s day party. It lived up to its billing and with the exception of two rough years early this decade, we have had a suitably low-key repeat. Fondue is the traditional fare, with both beef and cheese pots going. This is the crew, except James, who hadn’t made it to the table yet. There was laughter as well as mourning, as we looked back on a year that called for both. We don’t kno, of course, what the year ahead holds, but with friends like these, who needs enemas.

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New Year’s Eve Party

Dorothy, Kendra, and Cathy

Dorothy, Kendra, and Cathy

I don’t really know how long she’s been doing it but my mom has had a New Year’s Eve party most years since I was in high school, at the very latest. That’s more than 40 years. A few years ago we moved midnight forward to 11:00 PM so that people could drive home before the really crazy, drunk folk were on the road. We had a nice time visiting with people we often see only once a year. This is Dorothy, Kendra, and Cathy, sitting in front of one of mom’s recent quilt creations. As for the fingers they are holding up, that’s for my benefit. Seven fingers for seven years of taking at least one picture a day. I’ve taken just over 149,000 photos over the course of 2,557 days, an average of a little over 58 per day.

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Julia

Julia

Julia

Cathy and I took the day off today to do a bunch of work around the house. We did that last week and Jean came to help. We got a lot done then and today we followed up with more work along the same lines. Julia came and was a real boost. We were glad just to see her, of course, but the fact that she helped us get things done was a bonus. She’s also now a college graduate, which is pretty exciting. We made a run to the recycle center and trash transfer station and when we got back, I took a handful of pictures of her before she left.

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Dot and Kai

Dot and Kai

Dot and Kai

As usual, we had a three-part Christmas this year. We started by opening our stockings and a few presents at home. Then we went to Cathy’s mom’s where we had our traditional breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage. We opened a few more presents there. At about 1:30 we (including Cathy’s mom) went to my mom’s. We had our equally traditional dinner of enchilada (plus lot of other food, of course). In the evening we played a game. This year we each submitted five of our favorite songs. George then compiled them and played a segment of each. The idea was to guess which songs went with which person. It was a three-way tie for first place with the winners getting 12 out of 14 correct.

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Separation Anxiety

Daniel

Daniel

Back in February I posted a picture of Lacey and Daniel when Daniel was three weeks old. He is now almost eleven months and he’s still as cute as ever. I happened to check on the nursery this morning at church and he was the only child there, being held by Christine whose own son has moved up to the Sunday School class with the other youngsters. Daniel’s older brother, Tim, also moved up and that, actually, is what he’s crying about. As long as he has his brother with him, he’s willing to have his mother leave him in the nursery. But when Tim leaves, as well, that’s too much to bear. Seeing a somewhat scary looking old may with a big, black thing that makes bright flashes of light didn’t help. He kept staring at me as I moved around and took a few pictures. Of course, he quieted down and was fine shortly. It’s been delightful to see this little one grow this first year and I’m looking forward to the next. It’s also delightful to see all the toddlers move up into Sunday School. All too soon they’ll be heading off to college.

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Troy, Kasia, Katie, and Ben

Troy, Kasia, Katie, and Ben

Troy, Kasia, Katie, and Ben

We had our annual office holiday party today. It’s not really much like the holiday parties you see in movies or sitcoms. We have a buffet lunch and a beer or two (I don’t think I’ve ever gotten around to having a second beer, actually). There is a silent auction and a 50:50 raffle to raise money for a local charity (we raised over $1,800 this year). The Senior Vice President (and Study Area Director) over the group spoke for a little bit, introducing some folks who have joined the group since last year’s lunch. This is a picture of Troy, Kasia, Katie, and Ben, with whom I’ve worked for quite a few years.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

I only took a few pictures today but I think this one turned out nicely. That’s Cathy, obviously (and in case the title of the post didn’t make it clear). This is a pretty casual photo. Cathy was reading on the sofa in the living room and I was on the other sofa and asked if I could take her picture. The camera was set wrong for the first one. I had the exposure set to manual at 1.3 seconds at f/18 from last night when I was taking pictures of Christmas lights. That picture would have been good otherwise, but the motion kind of messed it up. This one is good, too, properly exposed and without the motion-induced blur of the first one. I think it’s nice and she certainly looks relaxed.

In a little over a week (on December 18, to be precise) we will have been married for a third of a century. I don’t suppose 33 years, 4 months is a generally recognized milestone but perhaps it should be. It’s a while, anyway, and I think we’ve done pretty well.

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Thanksgiving

Ready to Eat

Ready to Eat

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, we had our Thanksgiving meal today instead of the more traditional Thursday. Iris had to work briefly in the morning but she was at mom’s before I got there at about half past noon. Our meal was the traditional turkey and all the fixings but of course, the real feast is being with family. I’ve decided to post two pictures from today, one as we were sitting down to eat. clockwise from far left: Steve, Danna, George, Carmela, Margaret, Dot, Cathy, Dorothy, Tsai-Hong, Iris, Seth, Maya, and Kaien

Family Portrait

Family Portrait

After dinner we sat and talked and occasionally laughed. Steve showed off the leather armor he has made for his live action roll playing (LARP) and I got some good pictures of both him and Carmela dressed in it. We also took family portraits, both with my camera and with mom’s. This is one of mine. Front, from left to right: Carmela, George (with Chester), Margaret, Cathy, Tsai-Hong holding Kaien, Steve, and Henry. Back, also left to right: Iris, Seth holding Bean, Dot, Dorothy, Maya, and Danna

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Oakley Cabin

Oakley Cabin

Oakley Cabin

It was a beautiful if somewhat chilly day (but not unseasonably chilly) and I wanted to get outdoors for at least a little while. I went for a drive, first stopping to take some pictures in the neighborhood of trees still holding onto their leaves. Oaks are like that. Then I drove up Georgia Avenue through Olney and Brookeville and turned left onto Brookeville Road. I stopped to take a few pictures of the Oakley Cabin. This cabin is one of three that once stood here in what “was once the center of an African American roadside community from emancipation into the early 20th century. The dwelling, inhabited until 1976, is now operated as a living history museum by M-NCPPC, Department of Parks, Montgomery County.”

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Birthday Fire and Friends

Birthday Fire and Friends

Birthday Fire and Friends

It’s Cathy’s birthday today. She hasn’t been feeling well and I knew she would not agree to inviting people over today. Also, because of the construction (well, mostly because of that) out house is, shall we say, even more disorganized than usual. But for her birthday, I wanted to christen the fire pit that I bought her and wanted to do that with some of her best friends. So, I invited them without asking. At about 5:30, Jean and Lexi walked in the front door and called out, ȁHello, anyone home?” About a half hour later, Amy arrived. Then Julia, followed by Yvette. Maureen also came, although not until after this picture was taken. Cathy agreed that she would have said “no” but that she was glad they all came. And the fire pit was a hit.

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Mowing Up The Leaves

Cathy Mowing The Leaves

Cathy Mowing The Leaves

At our old house we had 6 oak trees all more than two feet in diameter and four more than three feet. We had a ridiculous amount of leaves to get up. To make matters worse, as anyone with oaks knows, they are among the later trees to drop their leaves. Usually the leaves would not all be down before Christmas and we often had to rake into January. A few years we rented a leaf vacuum and that actually was pretty useful but it would go once across the yard and I’d have to empty it. Still, it took less time than raking, which is what we did most years.

At this house we have two large oaks in the front (there was a third but it’s gone now and never had a lot of leaves while we lived here). In the back are two smaller maples, which I think I’ve mentioned before. The easiest way to get rid of the leaves is to run over them with the lawn mower. That would never have worked at the old house (too many of them) but here, as long as we don’t let it get too bad, it works quite well. This is Cathy, mulching up the leaves, and pretending to run me down. This, believe it or not, is Cathy trying to look fierce.

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Steve and Kai (and Photo 2,500)

Steve and Kai

Steve and Kai

We had a family dinner night today and it was great (as always) to see Kai (and the others, of course). Every time we see him, and it’s only been two weeks, he’s doing more and becoming more and more his own person with his own reactions and mannerisms. This evening he was in a good mood, as well, which is always a bonus.

We had Chinese carry-out and he had spaghetti squash and some other mushy something. Then he played on the floor for a while and of course he was held by many. He’s gotten old and sturdy enough to ride on his dad’s shoulders and as you can see, he’s enjoying it.

This is officially my 2,500 photo in my increasingly ill-named “Project 365.” Unofficially, I’m actually at 2,503 consecutive days with a photo, because I took pictures December 29, 30, and 31 in 2010, before starting my Project 365 on January 1, 2011. This is photo number 148,044 on this camera. I’m nearing the 150 thousand mark and expect to get there shortly before the end of the year.

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A Little Time for Silliness

Cathy, Being Silly

Cathy, Being Silly

Back in the day (like the mid 1980s) Cathy and I came across a cartoon by Ed Koren that struck a chord with us. It’s a picture of two people, husband and wife, apparently, greeting a woman walking a dog. The husband and wife are wearing typical business clothes except they are both wearing outlandish hats. His has big ears and horns, hers is huge with fruit all over it. The man in speaking and says, “We try to set aside a little time for silliness.”

Those of you who know us very well know that we have taken that to heart and we, like the couple in the cartoon, set aside a little time for silliness. This picture is Cathy being just a little silly. When I got home from work she was out in the back garden pulling weeds. I asked if I could take her picture and this is what she did.

This is Cathy’s Isadora Duncan pose.

Ed Koren’s web site is here: http://www.edwardkoren.com/.

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Laura

Laura

Laura

She goes by many names around the world. This woman of mystery, who we simply call Laura, is quite an enigma (although possibly not a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma). Who is she? Where is she from? No one seems to know for sure.

All seriousness aside, though, it was really nice having her here for a day. I fixed dinner for us all this evening, having crab cakes from G&M in Linthicum Heights in the suburbs of Baltimore. I also fixed mashed sweet potatoes, which were a big hit. For dessert, we all took a few bites of a heart cake that Laura bought for her grandma, also at G&M.

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Margaret and Laura

Margaret and Laura

Margaret and Laura

Our niece and Margaret’s granddaughter Laura came for a short visit today. We picked her up at the airport and then got Margaret before going out to dinner. I took a few pictures at the restaurant (and I’m sure annoyed the other patrons with my flash). I’ve already posted a picture taken on my phone on Facebook but because I’m behind here, this will end up showing up later. That’s the way it goes. Anyway, it was great having Laura here for a little while, even if she can’t stand being with us for as much as 48 hours.

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Anna-Gabrielle

Anna-Gabrielle

Anna-Gabrielle

We had a short walk on the C&O Canal today, out near Riley’s Lock and the Seneca Quarry and the associated stone cutting mill dating from the late 1860s. From there we went to Rocklands Farm and had a nice if somewhat early pizza dinner (or was it a very late lunch, I’m not sure). After that we met with good friends David and Erin. It was so good to visit with them and talk through some things that are going on in our lives.

They have five lovely children and the youngest two of them were with us. As most people who have been around children for any length of time can tell you, although siblings often share significant characteristics, they can also vary quite a bit from one to the next. Erin and David can certainly tell you something about that, as theirs have run the gamut (although they are all very precious and wonderful in their own right). This is Anna-Gabrielle, child number four and she certainly has the family look about her. Nevertheless, she is definitely her own person. Don’t let this photo fool you into thinking she sat quietly while her parents visited with those two old folks. She’s on the go, but she was willing to give me a 1/200th of a second. I’m looking forward to seeing her and her siblings grow up and I am so glad to have them back in the area for at least a while.

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William B. Scott, CSA

William B. Scott, CSA

William B. Scott, CSA

With all the hoo-ha about Civil War statues, it is sometimes easy to forget that these were people. William D. Scott was a member of Company D, 14th Virginia Cavalry. He was wounded in action against Union forces and subsequently died. He was buried in a churchyard in Montgomery County, Maryland. His grave is not in the cemetery but on the other side of the building. He is believed to be the only Confederate soldier who was killed in action and is buried in a marked grave in the county.

I don’t know how William felt about slavery, whether he was fighting for what he saw as state’s rights, or if he was simply pressed into service. Regardless, he was a young man, killed in war. He likely had parents, siblings and possibly even a wife and children. People die in war but if you think he deserved to die, then I’m afraid we’ll have to agree to disagree. May God have mercy on him.

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Happy Birthday, Margaret

Margaret and Cathy

Margaret and Cathy

Cathy and I went out to dinner with her mom, Margaret, this evening. It isn’t every day that you have a 91st birthday. In fact, a lot of people never have it even once. But she did, so we celebrated. We went to a newish seafood place and had a nice meal. After that we went to York Castle for ice cream. Not the biggest birthday bash in history, but it was relaxing and we had a nice visit. We talked about upcoming transitions and things seem to be beginning to move along those lines (more information on that to come as it happens). In case you’re wondering, Margaret had blacked mahi-mahi (a.k.a., the common dolphin fish, Coryphaena hippurus) and Cathy had stuffed flounder (most likely something in the Paralichthys genus). I had cod (Gadus morhua), oysters, and shrimp.

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Kofi

Kofi

Kofi

We went to a soup pot-luck this evening and had some really good food. I tried a new recipe for a Thai chicken and coconut milk soup and if I say so myself, it turned out really well. Some would call that cultural appropriation, I know. What I call it is the sincerest form of flattery. I’ve had very few Thai dishes that I didn’t like (if any, I don’t actually remember having any that I didn’t like). The other soups were also delicious and I was particularly fond of the collard greens and black-eyed peas with Italian sausage. As a kid that would not have appealed to me. As an adult, that’s comfort food of the highest order.

As is so often the case, I had my camera. This picture is of Kofi, a friend and fellow church member. I can’t say I know him as well as I’d like but we’ve started getting to know each other a little better recently. Friendships are always journeys and we never really arrive but the joy, as they say, is in the journey.

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Kai

Kai

Kai

The last time we saw Kai (see Saturday, September 2, 2017) he was mostly fussy and slept much of the time he was here. We had a family dinner this evening and today he was in a much happier mood. He’s also progressed a bit from crawling to standing. He still needs to hold on, of course, but he’s not nine months old quite yet, so I think he’s doing very well. Often when I put the camera up to take a picture, if he notices me at all, he just stares blankly at me. I was happy to get a few with him looking at me and also smiling. The joke, of course, is that he’s not going to recognize me because he only sees me with a camera between us and he doesn’t actually know what I look like. It’s mostly a joke, anyway.

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Elsie and Marit

Elsie and Marit

Elsie and Marit

We went with Cathy’s mom to the Fourth Presbyterian picnic today at Rocklands Farm. We haven’t gone to Fourth for over 25 years but we still know a lot of people there and of course we know the Rocklands folks, so we had a wonderful time visiting with old friends. I took a bunch of pictures but I have to admit I took more of Janis and Greg’s grandchildren than all the other pictures combined. They’re all just so darned cute. Here are two cousins, Elsie on the left and Marit on the right, ‘driving’ the gator (actually it’s a Kubota, but their previous one was a John Deere and the name is a holdover from that). These two are clearly chums and I’m really happy that Marit and her family are back in the USA for the foreseeable future. Anyway, this picture makes me happy.

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Kai

Kai

Kai

We babysat Kai for a few hours today and naturally I took a few pictures. Actually, he slept or was mostly quiet in his crib for most of the time we had him. He didn’t fall asleep for about 20 minutes but was actually not very fussy during that time. After he woke up again we played with him a little and that’s when I took pictures. He was less happy for most of that time than he had been when left alone in his crib. Cathy had him somewhat interested in a few books but the pictures I took were not of a happy boy.

Then his mom came to the door. That’s when I snapped this one. Yes, the happy view we present on social media is often that one moment of joy in an otherwise bleak, joyless day (his, not ours, we were happy just to be in the same room as this beautiful little boy, even when he was sleeping). Enjoy this picture for what it is, a joyous smile on a cute little fellow. But don’t be taken in by the visions of perfection you see on Facebook, Instagram, and other such sites. They are often not a reflection of reality.

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Cathy and Black-eyed Susans

Cathy and Black-eyed Susans

Cathy and Black-eyed Susans

Cathy and I relaxed in the back yard this evening and I took a few pictures of her with the black-eyed Susans that are having the time of their lives this year. Actually, this year is nothing special, as they are pretty spectacular every year. In fact, I’m not convinced we wouldn’t have the entire yard full of them if we allowed them to spread uncontrolled. The goose-necked loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides) would give them a good fight and might actually win out, as it spreads considerably more quickly. But the black-eye susans (Rudbeckia fulgida) spreads fairly readily.

You could argue that our garden doesn’t have enough variety and you might have a point. On the other hand, the parts of the garden that do have variety tend ultimately to be dominated by whatever plant is the most vigorous. Either that or nothing is vigorous enough and the weeds take over. I have plenty of Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), American burnweed (Erechtites hieracifolia), and goldenrod (Solidago species) to deal with (just to name a few). But where the black-eye susans are growing well, very few weeds have a chance to get started. That’s pretty nice. And, they’re pretty.

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Ariana and Kyle

Ariana and Kyle

Ariana and Kyle

Kyle is a pastoral intern at our church’s mother church and he came to preach today, covering the fairly well known story of Daniel during the reign of Darius the Persian. Kyle’s message was good and it was also wonderful to meet his new bride, Ariana. After church, as we do the first Sunday of most months, we had a fellowship meal together. The weather was so wonderful we went outside and ate in the shade of the large trees around the Senior Center. After the long drive yesterday, this was a relatively relaxing way to spend the early afternoon. Certainly more relaxing than Daniel’s day with the lions (spoiler alert…that turned out alright, as well).

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Family Reunion

Family Reunion

Family Reunion

We drove home from the beach today. The relatively long drive home is not one of the best aspect of a week off work, but it sort of has to be done and it can’t really be done any time except at the end. Today’s drive was broken up into two segments, each of about 250 miles with a family reunion in between. That did make for a longish day but seeing cousins (first and second as well as variously removed) makes it worth while. I had a really good time visiting and as usual, took a few pictures. Lyn organized a short time of group pictures today. Not as many groupings as we’ve done at times but he did manage to get everyone in the room together for a large group photo (although a few folks had left by then, so they didn’t get included). I can name most, although not quite all of the folks in this picture without any help. And I’m working on learning the last few. Special thanks to the cousins who organized this get-together.

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Stephen, Kai, and the Beach

Stephen, Kai, and the Beach

Stephen, Kai, and the Beach

Most kids love the beach. Of course, kids under a certain age are generally not really up on the joys of playing in the surf or digging in the sand. Kai is only seven months old and he isn’t really well versed in the joys of childhood yet. Or, perhaps I should say the joys of his childhood are, at this point, fairly simple. He went out onto the beach (okay, he was taken out onto the beach) this afternoon and was dressed for the sun. The goggles were a bit much and they came off fairly quickly but I think they suit him. He sat on the sand with his feet in a hole with a little water in it and wasn’t entirely displeased. He didn’t particularly like being splashed, although there was no real danger of him getting into any trouble. It won’t be long until he’s mobile and then the fun begins for his parents. “Wait, he was here a second ago, where did he go?”

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Liam, Juan, and Joanna

Liam, Juan, and Joanna

Liam, Juan, and Joanna

I’ve already posted the picture of a grasshopper for July 25 and a picture of Madagascar periwinkle to the 26th but I realized that I also meant to post this picture from July 25. After work, Dorothy, Jonathan, and I drove down to Silver Spring and met Juan, Joanna, and Liam at Denizens Brewing Co. on East-West Highway, nearly across the street from the old Gramax building, where I worked for about three years back in the early 1980s. It used to be leased by the National Weather Service and I worked as a contractor there. Anyway, we had a nice time eating, drinking, and talking and it was very good to be together.

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Cathy on the Back Patio

Cathy on the Back Patio

Cathy on the Back Patio

Cathy plants annuals in pots for our back patio each year. Every year, however, they are needed less and less as a primary focus and more as accents under the increasingly dense wall of black-eyed Susans that grown around the perimeter. Many of the flower pictures that I take are of a a single flower or at most a few together. It’s good, from time to time, to see the bigger picture (so to speak) and look at the forest instead of the trees. Adding Cathy to the picture can’t hurt, either.

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Theresa and Maureen

Theresa and Maureen

Theresa and Maureen

We had the memorial gathering for Ralph today at our house and it was wonderful and sad and good and difficult and fun and exhausting. We had (at best count) 108 people in our house between 2:00 and 6:00 PM (but not quite that many at any given time). That’s a pretty good crowd and it was really nice to meet some of the folks Ralph worked with and even more of the folks he caved with. We could not have done it without the selfless help of a few really good friends and these two were amazing. They had never met before today but I was sure they were going to hit it off. They did and it wasn’t long before they were tag-team teasing me. Thanks to all who helped and to all who came to remember Ralph, brother, son, father, grandfather, caver, robotics vision expert, and all around nice guy.

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Addy

Addy

Addy

It’s funny to me how differently people, especially kids, react to having their picture taken. Some duck for cover, some turn their faces away, and some practically beg for more. This little sweetheart is one of the beg-for-more types. Her siblings all like having their pictures taken, too, but this one more than the others put together, I think. Anyway, she’s a very sweet girl and I’m happy to take her picture any chance I get.

I took quite a few pictures of her and her sister and brothers, as well as the other children who were there today. In many of them Addy is making faces and I considered posting one of those. Actually, I suspect she will be disappointed that I haven’t posted one of them. But I love this one that shows her how she normally looks (although from a fairly close vantage point). I’ll share the others with her parents so she’ll be able to see them. Hopefully that will make her happy.

Thanks to Andy and Kelly for having us over with a few other friends this morning. It was a nice way to celebrate the original Brexit (circa 1776). Also, I took a couple pictures of the baby robins but they didn’t turn out too well. Not as well as Kelly’s taken with her phone, in fact.

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Sue and Gordy

Sue and Gordy

Sue and Gordy

We were happy to be able to attend this year’s Erick’s Hope dinner and also happy to see a few friends that we don’t see often enough. This beautiful couple were high on the list. There are a few people who epitomize who I’d like to be or what I’d like to be like when I grow up (assuming it’s not too late for me to actually grow up, of course). These two, either one, are on that list. There are others, of course, but they all have some things in common. A genuine care for others is one thing. Also, natural grace and style (which is hard to learn, being natural, of course). Anyway, Sue and Gordy, I think you’re the cat’s whiskers.

This post is also a modest plug for Erick’s Hope. If you have any interest in working with a small non-profit to help children, you could do a lot worse than throw a little money their way (OK, better to actually talk with them and find out what they are up to, but you get the drift). They can be reached through their web site, http://www.erickshope.org/.

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Ellen and Dan

Ellen and Dan

Ellen and Dan

Cathy, Dorothy, and I were privileged to be allowed to witness the wedding of our good friend, Ellen. She married this guy Dan, who, by all accounts, is a pretty nice guy. He better be, that’s all I can say. Seriously, though, we hear good things about him and Ellen has her head screwed on pretty well, so I’ll take her word for it. The wedding was very pretty and we were glad to see Ellen so joyful. As you can see (and this will come as no surprise to anyone who knows her, she was a beautiful bride.

I was going to post just the one picture from the wedding but then decided I liked this second one, also, taken at the reception. Ellen is the middle of three girls and this is a picture of the three of them, Hannah, Ellen, and Katie. Our two families have known each other for nearly 20 years. It’s been a pleasure to see the three of them grow up into the beautiful young women you can see here.

Hannah, Ellen, and Katie

Hannah, Ellen, and Katie

If you’ve been following this blog for a while you might remember that we traveled to England with Ellen and her family from August 5 to 19, 2013. That was a fun trip and timed very well in terms of the four girls (these three plus Dorothy), just before Ellen went off to college and life got more complicated.

We wish Dan and Ellen every happiness, of course, and hope to be able to keep in touch in the years ahead.

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Will’s Baseball Game

Will's Second Base Hit

Will’s Second Base Hit

Ben asked me this morning if I’d like to go with him to Baltimore to watch Will’s baseball game. They are playing in a tournament and the game was at the Johns Hopkins Babb Field at Stromberg Stadium (at the corner of West Universith Parkway and North Charles Street. They had, unfortunately, lost the first game and we got there shortly before the second game started. Will played a pretty good game, with two base hits on three at bats, scoring both times for two of the team’s three runs. This is his second hit. Unfortunately they couldn’t hold the other team and ended up losing six to three, but it was a pretty good game and it was nice to be out and about (even though it was a little warm).

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Stephen and Kai

Stephen and Kai

Stephen and Kai

It’s been a long couple days and we’re slowly beginning the process of recovering from Wednesday. Yesterday we spent much of the day with family. Today we just hung out at home most of the day but had everyone over in the evening. In the normal course of things I would have gone out to take pictures in the yard but I just didn’t feel up to it today.

We had Indian food from Bombay Bistro this evening and were together again, doing not much of anything in particular. Of course we played ‘pass the baby,’ as we do in these situations. And I took pictures.

This isn’t the best picture of Kai that I’ve taken but it’s good enough. It’s about time I got a good one of him with his dad (and I think it’s quite a good picture of Steve). There are others, of course, including pictures of the dogs, but it’s Kai-week, so here you are. I’m not saying that there won’t be pictures of Kai again coming soon, although I think tomorrow will be something else. But you never know. And I’ll get back to flowers (or better yet, insects) soon.

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Kai

Kai

Kai

If you don’t like baby pictures then I suggest you look away. There may be a few of them over the next few days. After yesterday, you won’t be surprised to learn that we’ve spent a little time with family. Spending time with family generally leads to pictures of Kai. So, you shouldn’t be surprised if tomorrow’s picture is of him, too.

He’s a cute little beggar and getting cuter at a ferocious pace. He’s also making progress towards talking and crawling. On the other hand, he’s so often in someone’s arms I don’t know how he’s ever going to learn to crawl. But he will, I suspect, and then life will get more complicated for his parents (and all of us when they come over).

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Ralph and Kai

Ralph L. Hartley
June 10, 1958 – June 14, 2017

Ralph and Kai

Ralph and Kai

Life can be hard and I’m not really sure what to say about this picture. As I get older I find, not surprisingly, I suppose, that there are fewer and fewer people that have known me all my life. My parents, of course, knew me when I was first born. My grandparents, aunts, and uncles, basically, as well. But my dad is gone and so are my grandparents and many of my aunts and uncles. And now my older brother, Ralph. He was only 18 months old when I was born, but he has been there since my beginning and I have known him my entire life. Being so close together in age, we did a lot of things together, especially as kids. We fought, of course, but we played, as well. The family traveled a bunch, going out west and back a few times when we were young. Then in 1971 we moved to England, camping through much of Europe on the way. Ralph and I went to the Cambridge Grammar School for Boys that year. We explored castles and designed our own. We took another trip out west when Ralph and I were in high school, hiking down the Grand Canyon. We went to Greece for eight weeks in 1981, camping almost the whole time. Ralph only stayed for half of that but it was a really good time (and boy, did he have hair then!).

It was about that time that he met Tsai-Hong. They were married in 1982 and have had a wonderful marriage and two amazing children, now both married. In December of last year their grandson Kai was born. Late in 2015 it was clear that Ralph was ill. In January, 2016 he was diagnosed with lymphoma. In January of this year he had a bone marrow transplant and although the transplant was successful, the cancer was still there. They decided to do some traveling and went on a cruise in the Galapagos and another in southeast Alaska. Ralph was an avid and experienced caver and he took five of us into a ‘starter cave’ in West Virginia a few short weeks ago (see Saturday, May 06, 2017).

We all knew it was only a matter of time before he was gone but it came much more quickly than any of us expected. My mom called me early this afternoon to say that Ralph’s breathing had become labored and that I should come over. He was able to hold his precious grandson one last time before he left us, and that was so sweet.

We disagreed on many things and we fought from time to time (sometimes, particularly as kids, physically). But Ralph was the first friend I had and for most of my early life, my best friend. Some of the memories we shared were shared by no one else. I’m amazed by how rich I am in terms of friends and family. Richer than I could ever possibly expect or deserve. But, to quote something I read once, “the cultural memory of our little family has been dealt a terrible blow…. In what seems like the blink of an eye, whole volumes of institutional memory have simply vanished. And that is a terribly lonely thought, that no amount of company and condolence can ease or erase.”

UPDATE: I’ve fixed a few typos, including two years, which were wrong.

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The Guys

Steve, David, and Juan at The Old Town Pour House

Steve, David, and Juan at The Old Town Pour House

These guys, Steve, David, and Juan, (plus me and a few others from time to time) have been meeting regularly for over a year and a half (since October, 2015, I just looked it up in my journal). Mostly we meet at the church office but now and then we go out for dinner. This evening was such a time and we mat at the Old Town Pour House in Downtown Crown. The food was quite good, although I’d say it was overpriced. I had a duck Reuben and it was really tasty but $14 for a sandwich? Really? The beer was good and there is a pretty broad selection to choose from. I went with a beer called Bivalve Saison brewed by Evolution Craft Brewing Company of Salisbury, Maryland. Nice. As usual, we talked about life. That can keep us busy for a while, as you might guess.

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Ralph and Kai

Ralph and Kai

Ralph and Kai

We went up to the Farm today and everyone was there, which was great. I took what some might consider a lot of pictures and baby Kai was in his fair share of them. There are a bunch of Kai with grandpa Ralph and that’s what we have here. It isn’t the best angle for seeing their faces but if I went to one side or the other I’d get the back of one head. I got a bunch that I think are good but decided to go with this one, which I like pretty well.

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Kristine, Cathy, and Brandon

Kristine, Cathy, and Brandon

Kristine, Cathy, and Brandon

Look who we had breakfast with this morning! If you know who these people are, then I suspect you’re jealous. If you don’t know who they are then you want to. Well, you may not know that you want to but you do.

It’s hard to believe how much Brandon has grown since we saw him last, which was about two years ago (two days short of two years, to be precise). He was very good to sit with us as we talked with his mom for over an hour (closer to two). We did talk to him a little and when I asked what his favorite classes are in school he said math, science, and history. Actually, he named all his classes except English. And he likes to read, so that’s not so far behind. When I asked what he likes to read, he said fiction and non-fiction. Well, that just about covers it.

Kristine caught us up on the goings on with Brandon’s four older sisters. Never a dull moment for Kristine and Bill. Sorry, Bill, that it’s been so long since we’ve seen you. We’d love to have breakfast with you, if you ever came to town. Just let us know. And of course we caught Kristine up on what’s happening with us. We could have talked for hours more but I did have to get to work (what a hassle!). Maybe Cathy and I can go visit them sometime, before too long.

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Kaien

Kai

Kai

We had the pleasure of baby sitting this little munchkin this evening while his parents went to a movie. Kaien (pronounced like Ryan with a K instead of an R, or simply Kai) is just over 5 months old now and really is starting to show a personality. He smiles a lot and thankfully is pretty easily distracted if he starts to fuss.

He slept for about an hour of the time we had him and then had a bottle, which was also pretty easy. After that we enjoyed singing to him. He especially loved Old MacDonald Had A Farm, especially the animal sounds that Cathy made. She sang quite a few verses, including some with animals that are not generally considered farm animals (do any farmers keep lions?). We also sang some songs by the Limeliters. Interestingly, their album Through Children’s Eyes was one that Cathy and I both listened to as children, so we both know the songs on it. Anyway, we sang a few songs from that. He mostly just stared at us throughout.

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Grace and Emily

Grace and Emily

Grace and Emily

I enjoyed taking pictures of these two having fun in the kitchen this evening. Grace did most of the flipping. They both did a lot of laughing. Grace posted a picture similar to this shortly after I got it off my camera and shared it with her. I’m a little late getting to it but I also have taken the time to make a few changes. First, I cropped the image a bit. Second, I replaced the image of Emily with one from a different picture that I think is better (her eyes are open, for instance). Getting the timing right so I could get the pancake in the air was the trickiest part, of course. It was much easier after she got more height on them, as in this image.

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Caving Expedition (Day Two)

Seth, Stephen, Carmela, George, and Ralph in the Slab Room

Seth, Stephen, Carmela, George, and Ralph in the Slab Room

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, we drove to West Virginia and spent the night at the PSC Field House in the North Form Mountain area. We got a reasonable night’s sleep and after a hearty breakfast, six of us headed off the Hamilton Cave. Ralph and Stephen are both experienced cavers but the rest of us were beginners. We’ve all been in the big, commercial caverns like Luray or Carlsbad (although I’d really like to see Carl’s Good cavern!). I’ve been in a reasonable number of caves in the USA, France, England, Greece, and Slovakia (although it was Czechoslovakia at the time). But this was the first time in a cave such as this. Hamilton cave has a pretty good maze of passages and I’m certainly glad we had two people who knew their way around.

Seth in Hamilton Cave

Seth in Hamilton Cave

After checking in at The Register, we made our way to our first goal, the Slab Room. This is named for the large slab of rock that fell in the distant past (well, probably recent in geologic terms, but it was more than a few years ago). Getting here involved passages where we had to crawl on all fours and a couple stretches where I had to take off my small day pack and push it in front of me while I slithered along on my front in what I know as an army crawl. You know the one, where you are lying prone and you pull yourself along with your elbow and push with your knees. It can be fairly tiring, especially for someone carrying extra weight and with not-terribly-strong arms. But we all made it through. There were other places where we could walk upright and they were very welcome, I can tell you.

There was an even tighter spot than those the required an army crawl. There is one place where the passage gets fairly narrow between two smooth, nearly vertical rocks. They are closest together at just the wrong height from the ground for someone about my height and with a larger than necessary midsection. If you know what i mean.

Self Portrait, Hamilton Cave

Self Portrait, Hamilton Cave

It was not quite Winnie-the-Pooh in Rabbit’s Hole but it was tight. Fortunately they didn’t hang dish towels on my legs. Getting through that required getting up on my toes so my largest part was a little higher than the tightest part, and then getting a bit of a push from Stephen. The second picture here is further into the cave than that tightish bit. It shows Seth sitting in a fairly large room as the others made their way up behind him. The last picture was actually taken between the other two. I don’t often take selfies but I thought in this case I would. So, that’s me in my caving gear. Looks as though I’ve been crawling in the dirt, doesn’t it?

As you can probably guess by the fact that I’m posting this, I made it out. We all had a good time and were certainly glad we went. I will confess to being glad to see the sunlight again and to be able to stand up without worrying about hitting my head on a rock.

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Montgomery County Prayer Breakfast

Montgomery County Prayer Breakfast

Montgomery County Prayer Breakfast

When anyone advertises anything as the ‘first annual’ whatever, you have to admire their optimism. I mean, anyone can have a ‘first annual’ anything but following that with a ‘second annual’ is the tricky bit. That’s not to say things just happen after that, but doing something twice on the same day of the year is a real milestone (or is it a millstone?). The National Day of Prayer, established in 1952 to be held on the first Thursday in May, was the occasion of the second annual Montgomery County Prayer Breakfast with over 100 in attendance. Many thanks to Paul and Janet for their efforts to get this going and for enlisting sponsors to cover the costs.

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Hannah and Drew’s Wedding

Hannah and Drew's Wedding

Hannah and Drew’s Wedding

A wedding is a big deal. A wedding for people you know and love is a bigger deal. That being the case, I don’t feel like I need to restrict myself to one picture of Hannah and Drew. The picture I posted yesterday was before the rehearsal, as they were sitting in a hallway waiting for everyone to get organized. Actually, the wedding coordinator was pretty phenomenal, from what I could tell, and had things under control but even at the best of times, there are a lot of moving parts and they all need to move in harmony. With her help, along with a cast of thousands (well, over a dozen, anyway), things went about as smoothly as they can be expected to go.

Hannah and Drew's Wedding

Hannah and Drew’s Wedding

The first picture here is from the wedding, as you can probably tell. At this point, Hannah and Drew are married and have turned to face their family and friends as the pastor introduces them for the first time as husband and wife. The second picture was taken during the rather lengthy photo session that followed the ceremony. I didn’t take a lot while that was happening, because the official photographers had it under control but this was a nice lineup of the wedding party and I couldn’t resist taking a few. Hannah and Drew, I meant what I told you that evening. If there is ever anything you need and it’s in my power to give it, you only have to ask.

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Hannah and Drew

Hannah and Drew

Hannah and Drew

As many of you know, Cathy and I few up to Boston this morning. I took my first Uber ride from Logan Airport and we met up with Dorothy. At about 1:30 we headed up to New Hampshire for the rehearsal for Hannah and Drew’s wedding, which is tomorrow. Cathy and I were not actually involved in the wedding, beyond providing one of the bridesmaids. We got a call, though, asking if I could take a few pictures at the rehearsal. Of course I was only too happy to do so. This is one of the first pictures I got after arriving at the church and I’m pretty happy with it. Preparations for a wedding can be somewhat stressful but they were (mostly) relaxed and everyone was in a good mood.

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Cathy and a Pink Dogwood

Cathy and a Pink Dogwood

Cathy and a Pink Dogwood

The pink dogwood is out and we’re about to enter the most floriferous time of the year. The dogwoods are probably at or just past their peak. Likewise the redbuds. The azaleas are just starting and will be in full bloom soon, which is a pretty spectacular time in our area. The azaleas are followed within a few weeks by some of the early roses, some of which continue to bloom throughout the summer.

I took some pictures of the yard this afternoon. First I got some overall shots showing shrubs, trees, grass, etc. Then I took some close up shots of a phlox plant that is blooming along the back of the yard. The dogwood that Cathy is standing next to in this photo is in the front, too close to the house, really but it’s such a beautiful tree when it’s in bloom that I’m loath to take it out. I tried planting a tall camellia under it that I could cut it out in favor of, but that was just before two very cold winters and it died. I should probably try again. But, for now, we’re enjoying it.

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Easter Sunrise Service

Easter Sunrise Service

Easter Sunrise Service

I realize that I’m more than a week behind in posting this. It’s been a busy time and I’ll try to get caught up shortly. Easter sunrise services are one of my favorite events. It’s partly a function of how much I appreciate Easter. To me it’s much more important than Christmas. I realize you cannot have Easter without having had Christmas but without Easter, Christmas would be meaningless. Easter also has some wonderful music associated with it and we aren’t overwhelmed with non-Easter, seasonal music as we are for Christmas.

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Kaien

Kaien

Kaien

Pictures of smiling, happy babies are great, of course, but there’s something about a baby making a less peaceful expression that I really love. I’m not saying I want babies to cry and of course I try to make them happy when they do. But crying happens. It’s a fact of life.

The family we here for dinner this evening and I took a bunch of pictures and a few short videos. Kaien was in a good mood most of the evening and he’s a pretty easy going little boy. Later on he was getting tired or hungry or something and was a little less happy and that’s when I took this one. I wish I had been a bit farther away or had a shorter lens on the camera so I could have gotten his whole head in the frame. He was wiggling about and my tracking was a little behind. I caught the expression, though, and I think that’s the main thing. You get what you can when you can. I certainly didn’t have time to go rummaging through my camera bag. I love this look.

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Becky, Steven, and Titus

Becky, Steven, and Titus

Becky, Steven, and Titus

I took another boatload of pictures at the play this evening. Most of those won’t mean much unless you where there and if you were there, then you already saw it. Also, unless I posted the entire cast again, I’d have to pick a picture of one or two people and leave out all the rest. Well, I guess that’s what I’ve done but instead of going with a picture of students, I decided to post this one of Becky, the fearless director of the WCA play. If you’ve ever been involved in high school drama (as if you had to put on a play to get drama in high school!) then you know how much work it is. Imagine doing that with a toddler in tow. But she pulled it off, with the help of a wonderful assistant director, student assistant director, and a host of others. Well done.

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Tsai-Hong and Kaien

Tsai-Hong and Kaien

Tsai-Hong and Kaien

We gathered for a family dinner this evening and as usual since late December, the star of the show was Kaien, now a little over three months old. Most everyone got a chance to hold him and he’s so good-natured that it was a nice time. There are other things going on, of course, and if you know then you know. If you don’t know I won’t bother you with it. Suffice it to say that it was a bittersweet gathering but one I’m glad we had. We’ll be doing that as much as we can for as long as we can. Anyway, here’s grandma with her precious little one.

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Lexi and Maria

Lexi and Maria

Lexi and Maria

This evening We met up with our good friend Jean and her two beautiful daughters, Lexi and Maria. We only live across the river from each other but getting together seems to get harder rather than easier. The evening rush hour is not the best time to cross the Potomac but we did and had a wonderful time chatting and laughing. Talk ranged from the serious to the silly, as it does when you’re with good friends. It’s hard to believe these two girls are so grown up, but it’s true. Sadly, Dorothy wasn’t able to be with us, but we’ll get together again when she’s home this summer.

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Christy

Christy (and Andy)

Christy (and Andy)

She hates to have her picture taken and I doubt she’ll like this one any more than others I’ve taken over the years but this young woman has been a real blessing to our family and it was really nice to see her this morning. She and a friend came to help with music and worship at church this morning and I took a few pictures (yes, during church, it happens). I wouldn’t necessarily go so far as to say that Dorothy wouldn’t do any singing without the influence of Christy but I do think that influence was real and important. She pushed Dorothy well out of her comfort zone and it’s really paid dividends since. Even without that, Christy is a lovely young woman, sweet and loving to everyone she meets (at least as far as I know and I’d appreciate it if no one shows me otherwise). She also has a really pretty voice. Just sayin’.

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Four Generations

Steve, Kai, Ralph, and Dot

Steve, Kai, Ralph, and Dot

We got together for a family dinner this evening at Iris and Seth’s apartment. George and Carmela had talked about being there but in the end they couldn’t because they had important matters of a canine variety to take care of. Specifically, they were picking up their new, one-year-old dachshund, Chester. But it was a fun time visiting with family, enjoying a wonderfully prepared meal, and of course, passing the baby around. I don’t think everyone had a chance to hold him but most did. We also took a few pictures (really?) and I’m particularly glad we got this one of four generations, from oldest to youngest Dot, Ralph, Stephen, and Kaien.

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President Lincoln For A Day

Self as Honest Abe

Self as Honest Abe

It’s that time of year again. Way back in November I ran into the kindergarten teacher from Dorothy’s old school and she asked me if I was up for coming to her class in February as Abe Lincoln. As you can probably guess from the accompanying photo, I said yes. This was taken as I got to work in the morning, using my cell phone camera.

I don’t often post photos of myself, partly because I don’t take very many and partly as a public service to you, my loyal readers. There are much nicer things to look at than my visage.

I don’t really make a particularly good Lincoln. I’m not anywhere near tall enough and my build is much too heavy. But this is for kindergarteners, remember. They aren’t terribly demanding and to them, even I am tall. It helps that their teacher is fairly small, also, so in comparison, I’m tall. The top hat and the beard are really all it takes. The first question I got from them was, “Are you the real Abraham Lincoln?”

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Lacey and Daniel

Lacey and Daniel

Lacey and Daniel

Taking pictures of newborn babies is a bit tricky. Typically they are lying down or being held that way. If they are being held, the person holding them is often moving, meaning the good angle for a picture changes from moment to moment, assuming there is a good angle at all. Newborns don’t generally make interesting expressions and asking them to smile doesn’t help very much. When they do make a good expression, the chances of them being turned away from you are fairly high, or the person holding them is talking or has his or her eyes closed or something. That isn’t going to stop me from trying, of course.

I’m pretty pleased with this picture of Lacey and her three week old son, Daniel. It isn’t the greatest picture of Lacey, who is laughing at something someone said, but perhaps she’ll forgive me that, since it’s a pretty nice picture of Daniel, who seems quite happy and content. We can’t ask for a lot more than that. Congratulations to Lacey, Gil, and big brother Tim. What a beautiful addition to the family. Thanks for letting us intrude on your domestic life for a little while.

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Old Family Photographs

Old Family Photographs

Old Family Photographs

Cathy’s been working her way through a box of old family photographs and making some interesting connections. In the bin in this picture, the picture on the left is Cathy’s grandfather, Albert, from high school. We were hoping that we might find a picture of Ernest Hemingway, who attended the same school, Oak Park and River Forest High School, from 1913 until 1917, a few years ahead of Albert. Unfortunately, we didn’t. But you never know what might show up further down in the box.

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Kai

Kai

Kai

As I mentioned in the post from Friday, pictures of this little fellow are likely to be fairly common here for a while. For one thing, he’s the cutest little thing. For another, he’s the first of the next generation, as far as my immediate family is concerned, and is my first grand nephew. We’re fortunate to have him (and his parents) living so close by. After visiting him on Friday, we had dinner at mom’s this evening because Brady was in town on business and we took the opportunity to get together. It was good to see her and everyone, including Iris, Ralph, and Tsai-Hong who were there via video conferencing on Seth’s phone.

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Dot and Kai

Dot and Kai

Dot and Kai

If you think we’re going to visit Kai without my taking pictures of him, or if you don’t want to see baby pictures, then I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed. We paid him a visit this evening (we saw his parents, too, but whatever) and mom (Dot) was there as well, visiting her great grand son. We each took a turn holding him and I took pictures of both Cathy and mom holding him. He seems to be growing well and is certainly a sweet little thing.

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Cathy, Jeannine, and Lizzy

Cathy, Jeannine, and Lizzy

Cathy, Jeannine, and Lizzy

It was a fairly busy day today. We spent the morning at Cathy’s mom’s house, going through boxes of papers. We made some progress, although there’s still a bit left to do. From there we went to College Park for a graduation party for a friend. It was nice to spend time with Josh and his family, as well as his girlfriend, Lizzy, pictured here with Cathy and her mom, Jeannine. Then we went to Baltimore to visit Ralph and Tsai-Hong. After that visit we drove through parts of Baltimore we hadn’t been to before. I tried to get a picture of the Domino Sugar sign over the harbor through the fog but it was too thick and you can’t make out what the vague pink light is.

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Steve and Son

Steve and Kai

Steve and Kai

Cathy and I went to visit our grand-nephew Kai this evening. We also visited his parents, but really, we all know why we were there. But seriously, it was a nice chance to visit and of course to hold the baby, who is growing like the proverbial weed. Cathy took a bunch of pictures of me holding him, but of course I post pictures here that I’ve taken, so you are spared that. This is Steve giving him his dinner. Actually, I don’t know how you name meals when they come every two hours, but it was 7:30 PM, so we’ll call it dinner.

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Masked Lunch

Masked Lunch

Masked Lunch

We had lunch with some of the rest of our family today but it was a little unusual because we all wore masks to reduce the risk of passing infection to Ralph, whose immune system is “somewhat compromised” at the moment. It was really nice to get together and have a visit. We were sorry that Steve, Maya, Kaien, and Danna were not able to join us but having a baby throws your schedule off and it can make what would formerly have been an easy outing into a complicated journey. Of course they’ll get into the swing of things soon but we all missed seeing them (especially Kai).

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Glenn

Glenn

Glenn

We have known Erin and David since Dorothy was in first grade. In fact, Erin was Dorothy’s first grade teacher, back in the day. She and David were married the following summer and we stayed in her family’s house while they all went off for the wedding. Over the next few years we got to know them better, even though she stopped teaching to begin raising the family they have now become.

This afternoon we were blessed to spend a little time with all but their oldest, who is now 12. This picture is of number five, Glenn, who was born last June. I won’t say he’s any cuter than his older siblings were, because they all have been quite attractive (some kids have all the luck in the genetic lottery). But this is one adorable little fellow. Look at those cheeks, to say nothing of his eyes. Thanks, Erin, for letting me hold him and thanks, also, for holding him so I could take his picture.

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Second Christmas

Cathy and Dorothy Doing the Cleopatra Move

Cathy and Dorothy Doing the Cleopatra Move

We had originally held off celebrating Christmas with Cathy’s mom because Cathy’s niece (Dorothy’s cousin) was going to be coming and we thought we’d do it while she was here. Maggie’s travel plans have changed so we decided to go ahead with Second Christmas without her. That’s why there are all those presents under the tree.

Lately Cathy and Dorothy have been watching various exercise videos and working along with them. Yesterday they were talking about the belly dancer that we saw in a restaurant in Rockville and they looked up instructional videos. Who said the internet isn’t good for anything? Anyway, they worked their way through it and this is one of the many moves they practiced.

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New Year’s Day

Amy and Jon

Amy and Jon

It’s funny how some things become tradition. Thirteen years ago, Amy and Kevin invited us to their house on New Year’s Day for what Amy described as a “low-key celebration.” When they repeated the invitation the following year it was on its way to becoming a tradition. The guest list has changed with the only constant being Amy and one or both of her boys and Cathy, Dorothy, and me. Since Keven passed away, we have hosted the party and this is our fourth at our house. The aim is the same, though, a low-key celebration of the new year. As we approached the date, Amy asked if she could invite a family that she’s known for many years and of course we agreed. When they arrived, we introduced ourselves to Karen, Kyle, and Grace and to our surprise, Karen recognized Cathy. Their families knew each other back in the day. And by that I mean the 1960s! Small world.

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Happy New Year!

Hannah, Rachel, and Lyla

Hannah, Rachel, and Lyla

Well, it’s the end of another year. For what started out as Project 365, with one picture a day for a year, posted on Facebook, I’ve now finished six years, 2,192 consecutive days of at least one photo a day. I just looked back at the posts from December 31, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Of those five posts, three of them were taken in the family room of our good friend, Stuart and Donna. They were also all taken right before the stroke of midnight. This year’s photo was taken in their kitchen about 40 minutes before the end of the year. It features Hannah, Rachel, and Lyla.

In all I took only 18,270 photographs this year, the first year under 20,000 with this camera, but that brings the total for the camera to 134,953. I had one day this year when I only took one photograph but I’ve managed to take at least one every day. The most I took in a day was only 792, which is a pretty low maximum. We didn’t take any extended sightseeing vacations this year and I had no weddings to photograph, which played a part if the lower numbers. But I’m still at it. Anyway, see you next year.

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Maya, Steve, and Kaien

Maya, Steve, and Kaien

Maya, Steve, and Kaien

Happy birthday, Maya. I know you’re exhausted but look at this little boy. What a dear little thing he is. To everyone else reading this, let me introduce to you Kaien (pronounced basically like Ryan with a K) or Kai, if you prefer (like Sky without the S). He was born on Saturday, December 24, and we visited this evening and I know you’re going to be shocked but I took a few pictures. This is one of my favorites. I probably say this every time I see a newborn but it always surprises me again how small they are. Anyway, welcome to the family, Kai. We’re a bit of an odd bunch, but you don’t get to pick your family. Sorry about that.

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Christmas, 2016

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

Every year is different. That’s good, in the sense that we want a little variety in our lives. If every day were just like the last, we’d get bored (some of us sooner than others). That’s why so many people love the changing seasons. Autumn and spring, times of transition, are especially beautiful. But even with the change, there is a sameness the overlays it all. Every year has the same four seasons and that repetition is quite comforting. We know what to expect next, at least in broad terms, even if the details are different.

Every year, the details are different. We all know that but we’re still surprised by it, from time to time. Last year was different to all the others (at least all my others) because Albert wasn’t there. This year was different for a totally different reason. Ralph’s son and daughter-in-law (Stephen and Maya) had a son yesterday. What a wonderful combined Christmas and Hanukkah present. They named him Kaien (pretty much rhymes with Ryan) but gave him the middle name Albert. That was a very sweet thing for them to do and a very nice present for all of us.

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Christmas Eve

Olivia, Alyssa, Ellie, and Hope with Sugar

Olivia, Alyssa, Ellie, and Hope with Sugar

For a number of reasons, not least of which was a scheduling conflict at our normal location for church tomorrow and the fact that most people want to be with their families on Christmas day, we had a Christmas Eve service today instead. It was a fairly small, informal affair, with only about 20 people in all including more children than adults. After the service, I took this picture and if I have their names right, they are Olivia, Alyssa, and Ellie behind Hope and Sugar (the dog).

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Dorothy and D’Argo

Dorothy and D'Argo

Dorothy and D’Argo

Cathy and Dorothy went over this afternoon to pick up D’Argo from Steve and Maya’s. They were going to the hospital to have their first child and we will have the dog for a little while, certainly until they are home again and settled down a bit. As I write this, late on Saturday morning, there is still no word on the baby’s arrival, but we should hear any time now.

As you can see, Dorothy is enjoying having a dog.

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Holiday Party

Kasia, Troy, and Katie

Kasia, Troy, and Katie

The group I work with had its annual holiday party today. It’s not exactly the sort of party portrayed in some movies or television shows, with dancing and revelry. It’s just a bunch of folks (about 150) getting together for a meal, a silent auction to raise a bit of money for a local charity, and a time of mostly quiet socializing. I was one of two photographers today with the other being the “official” photographer. That freed me up to take a few candids and not really stress.

Being a technical person, I’m technically not a member of this group but this is the group we largely support. I work with quite a few different teams within this group although there are a lot that I don’t know at all. I’ve worked with these three for quite some time and probably know them better than all but a few others here. They all hate to have their picture taken but they were kind enough to let me take a few.

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Lizzy and Josh

Lizzy and Josh

Lizzy and Josh

It’s December and that means all sorts of Christmas parties (or, if work-related, holiday parties, but that’s a post for another time). The first Christmas party of the season was with our church family. It was hosted by our pastor and his wife (and their kids, I suppose) and it was a full house. I honestly don’t know how many of us were there but it was a good crowd. Of course, being a pot luck, there was way more food than we could eat, although I guess some folks didn’t get to try things that ran our early. For me, the highlight was little smokies wrapped in bacon and then sprinkled with brown sugar and baked. Man, were those good (thanks, Joanna and Juan). There was an excellent cake, as well, made by Brigitte with candied cranberries on top. While the cake was excellent, to me the cranberries were the best part.

Naturally I took pictures and this is one I really like, a couple of wonderful young folk named Lizzy and Josh. I enjoyed sitting with them a while and chatting and I’m glad this pictures turned out so well.

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Youth Group

David, Lily, Will, Vera, and Sarah

David, Lily, Will, Vera, and Sarah

It’s a small and fledgling youth group, I admit, but this is at a small and fledgling church, so perhaps that’s appropriate. This is one of a bunch of pictures I took to promote our youth group. We cannot offer crowds and huge events. But we can offer something a little more individual. Our ministry goals are really the same as for Cross Community church: to share the gospel, love the city, and build community, all within the context of youth.

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Iris and Ralph

Iris and Ralph

Iris and Ralph

After the three day birthday, Thanksgiving, family reunion with Cathy’s family, we got together with my family today for our fourth day of celebration. I cannot express how thankful I am for both of my families and it’s nice to be given a day off (and to take two more) specifically to express our thankfulness. I’m thankful for more than family, of course, but that’s certainly high on the list.

Dorothy, sadly, left to drive back to school and wasn’t able to spend the day with us. It was good to see her and she’ll be back in just a few weeks for the Christmas break. As usual, I took pictures of everyone as we sat in the living room and visited, with the usual range of discussion topics customary with the my family (we tend towards the geeky end of things, I have to admit). In addition to some family pictures, I particularly like this one of Ralph and Iris. It just works.

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Hannah

Hannah

Hannah

It’s been way too long since we saw this young woman. Actually, the last time we saw her, she was a girl of only about 8. She’s grown up a lot since then and it was so good to have her visit for Thanksgiving, along with her dad and sister, both of whom we’ve seen a bit more recently. It was a really nice to get to know her a bit and I think we’ll put more effort into getting together again befor too long.

After a busy Thanksgiving yesterday we went to Great Falls today. While I took a few pictures of the river, it was more an occasion for photos of Hannah, Abba, and Darius. I really like this one of Hannah. She has an amazing smile, also, but it’s more common, when the camera is pointed at her, that she makes a silly face.

We also saw a great blue heron in the process of killing a black snake. It would stab the snake with its beak and picking it up. The snake would coil around the beak and the heron would drop it and the process would start over.

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The Three Happy Lions

Cathy and Darius

Cathy and Darius

I picked up David and Darius this afternoon and the Thanksgiving (and birthday) festivities have begun. This was taken while David went to the airport to pick up Jim and Hannah. Dorothy and Abba were on their way from New England. William would come down tomorrow morning. So, it’s still relatively quiet. Cathy, as you can see, is making some animal sound (although it looks more like a “moo” than a roar, but I don’t know) while reading The Three Happy Lions to Darius.

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Operation Christmas Child

Cathy and Her Operation Christmas Child Things

Cathy and Her Operation Christmas Child Things

In 2014 I posted a picture of Cathy with two Operation Christmas Child boxes, delivering them at the collection center. Then last year, the picture was of Cathy with six packed boxes, ready to take them out to the car. This year, we’re a little earlier in the process. In this picture, Cathy has laid out all the things she plans to get into six shoe-box sized plastic boxes. If you think it unlikely she’ll be able to get it all in, fear not, it was done (with a little expert advice from yours truly). They were delivered the next day (tomorrow when I took the picture, last week when I’m writing this). Has Cathy mentioned that she likes Operation Christmas Child? Well, she does.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

I was taking pictures around the house this evening, looking around for interesting shapes and patterns. I took some of a patch on the shoulder of a jacket, some of etched metal and a couple of a photograph of Cathy’s mom taken back in the day. I also took a few of Cathy and this one I like best of them all. It’s not a huge smile but it’s a familiar look. I suppose I could have waited until her birthday, which is coming up, to post her picture. On the other hand, there’s never really a bad time to take and post her picture.

This photo was taken on Monday (which is why it’s dated on Monday) but I’m actually writing this on Friday. It’s been a busy week for her with a software conference from Monday through Thursday at the Gaylord National. Lots of good information but fairly tiring. She took her first rides in Uber the first three days and then drove herself yesterday (Thursday).

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We Met an Elf

An Elf

An Elf

An interesting thing happened on the way to the river today. We had thought about parking near Old Angler’s Inn but the parking area was jammed, so we went to the main Great Falls entrance and parked there. We left the car and headed towards the visitor center and then the river when a woman called Cathy’s name. Actually, she just said “Cath!” It was a friend of Cathy’s from high school and her husband. That in itself would have been surprising and of course it was. It was also lovely to see them since it had been probably fifteen years since we’ve seen each other.

But what was more surprising was that they were in the company of an elf. I’m afraid I don’t remember her name but she was nice enough to allow me to take her picture. It isn’t everyday that I get to photograph an elf. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever done so before. She looks young but of course, as we all know, elves live a considerable time so she could easily be quite old, as we humans measure time.

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Joanna and Juan (Again)

Joanna and Juan (Again)

Joanna and Juan (Again)

I generally only post one picture a day or if I post more than one from a single event or location, I combine them into a single post. This event rates a bit more, so I’m posting this separately. The wedding of Juanna and Juan was an entirely outdoor event. If you’ve ever planned an outdoor wedding, you know how nervous it makes you as the day approaches and the weather is uncertain. Planning an outdoor wedding in November is really a risk. Nevertheless, the day was about as beautiful as you could ever expect to get in early November. It was warm (in the sun), perfectly clear, with no wind. The perfect setting for the marriage of this lovely couple. There may be cloudy days on occasion in the future but at least they started out on what was arguably the most beautiful day of the year.

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Joanna and Juan

Joanna and Juan

Joanna and Juan

I’ve had the privilege to know these two just about as long as they’ve known each other. It’s been so exciting watching them fall in love and today Cathy and I were fortunate enough to be allowed to witness their marriage and the beginning of their life together. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see them get to this point. The ceremony was nearly as beautiful as Joanna and I’m happy to say it didn’t go off without a hitch (i.e. they got hitched).

She certainly picked a good Juan and won’t have to tell stories about the Juan that got away. (I know, and I’d like to say that I’m sorry, but I’m not.)

I was (thankfully) not the official photographer but I was able to get a good seat on the aisle so was able to get a few pictures of them walking both in separately and then out as husband and wife. I’m sure the official photographer got a lot more and better pictures than I did, but I wanted to share this with Juanna, Juan, their families, and the rest of my followers (both of you).

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Agatha and Bertram

Agatha and Bertram

Agatha and Bertram

One of Cathy’s soccer friends hosts an annual Dia de los Muertos party every year and this year was the third time we have gone. We were a bit tired from hosting a baby shower earlier in the day but so we didn’t stay late but we did go. We also didn’t expend a lot of energy on our costumes, simply wearing paper masks that we’ve had but rarely used. I’m pretty sure Cathy’s brother Jim gave these to us years ago. They are surprisingly effective, although the few people at the party who actually know us didn’t really have any trouble telling who we were. Cathy was Agatha and I was Bertram, which probably come from Wodehouse, consciously or not.

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Will and Ethan

Will and Ethan

Will and Ethan

Will and Ethan have both been in pictures posted here, both separately and together. We were at their house this evening and I took a few of Ethan and then this one of the two brothers together, which I think is a good picture. I’m finding that on the days I don’t go out during the day at work, I’m having a harder time coming up with a post-worthy picture. Going to someone else’s house is helpful, of course, because there is always something new to photograph, even if it’s just their kids. Will asked me to send this to him, which I did, so if you’ve already seen this from him, you’ll now know where it came from.

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A Day In The Country

Cathy On The Pond

Cathy On The Pond

We had originally planned an outing for folks from out church to the family property in Pennsylvania for August but a lot of folks couldn’t come that weekend so we moved it to today. The day we would have gone in August was sweltering and muggy. Today was cool but beautiful. The wind was a bit strong but we had a fire going the whole day and I think that those who went all had a good time. I know I did. Being outside all day, cooking over a fire, and of course being with friends (old and new) is a great way to spend a day. Cathy was the first to go out in the canoe, battling the wind. As you can see, the trees are starting to turn.

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Bobby and Solomon

Bobby and Solomon

Bobby and Solomon

On Thursday I posted a picture of Grace, on of Dorothy’s two friends who came home with her for the mid-term break. I think it only fair that I also post a picture of Bobby, the other friend. He really liked Solomon and wanted to hold him but Solomon is a bit timid. Nevertheless, with a little coaxing, we were able to get them together.

Yesterday, as planned, the three kids went to Richmond for the day so it was a regular work day for me. Today, we drove out to Rocklands Farm (http://www.rocklandsfarmmd.com/) and had a really nice morning visiting with Janis and Greg. The kids also really enjoyed the animals. Funny, as I write that I picture these three kids as kindergartner at a petting zoo, but of course they are all about 20. Actually, they acted a little more like kindergartners than 20 year olds, but it was fun.

We got home and they packed their car, leaving to head back to school at about 3:45 and getting there at about 1:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. We enjoyed seeing them but it was too brief a visit.

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Grace and Bean

Grace and Bean

Grace and Bean

It’s midterm time at Gordon and Dorothy drove down late Wednesday (yesterday) with two friends. They actually got here early this morning but pretty much went straight to bed. This evening, we had one of our Thursday Night Dinners, eating at our house rather than going out. We had a pretty good crowd and it’s easier with that many to avoid big restaurant tables. We god dinner from Bombay Bistro and enjoyed it in the living room. Iris brought her dog, Bean, and this is Grace, one of Dorothy’s two friends, holding him.

Cathy took the day off work and she went with Dorothy, Grace, and Bobby (the other friend) to Great Falls and spent a long while climbing on Rocky Islands, below the falls, and then ended up near the end of the Billy Goat Trail. Tomorrow the three young folk plan to drive down to Richmond for the day. Then we’ll spend Saturday morning with them and they’ll head back to Boston Saturday afternoon.

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Bob at Quench

Bob at Quench

Bob at Quench

We had a lovely time visiting with friends and enjoying some nice music at Quench off of Shady Grove Road this evening. Our friend Bob has played there a few times but this is the first time we were able to come hear him. Before Bob sang, we heard from Scott and then a group called Know1Else (http://know1else.com/), both of whom we enjoyed, but we were there to hear Bob. He sang some familiar songs but also a bunch of his own, some of which I’ve heard and enjoyed before and a few that I hadn’t. The food and beer was good, the music was fun, and we were with friends. It doesn’t get a lot better than that.

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Seth and Iris

Seth and Iris

Seth and Iris

Here’s one more picture from out trip to Pennsylvania. As I mentioned, Ralph, Tsai-Hong, Iris, and Seth came as well. I took this picture of Seth and Iris as we sat around the fire talking in the middle of the afternoon. I believe this is the first time they have been up since the wedding and it was good to see that the tree they planted seems to be doing very well.

When we first got there a largish tree was down across the road. That’s the source of the logs behind Seth and Iris, so we have a little fire wood. I’ll bring a sledge and wedge next time and split some. We took a walk to the orchard, which is quite overgrown. We managed to find a few almost ripe hardy kiwi and a few pawpaws and there were lots of autumn olive fruits (Elaeagnus). Clearing that out again will be a big job and probably calls for heavy duty equipment.

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Another Birthday Picture

Margaret's 90th

Margaret’s 90th

I know I already posted a picture in honor of Margaret’s 90th birthday but I think one more is in order. Today is her actual birthday, so Cathy and I picked her up and took her to dinner, along with long-time friend Ron. Before we left, I took a few pictures of Cathy and Margaret with the balloons and flowers she’s been given. You only turn 90 once and while that’s generally true of all birthdays, 90 seems like a big deal and worth celebrating.

We went to Clyde’s Tower Oaks Lodge and had a really nice dinner. I believe there is only one 90th birthday celebration yet to be held and that’s the family party, which was put off a little because of travel plans for all the participants. I suspect there will be another picture here when that time comes.

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Carol, Margaret, and Davin

Carol, Margaret, and Davin

Carol, Margaret, and Davin

After church today we went to a surprise birthday party for Cathy’s mom. Her birthday isn’t until later this week, but weekends are generally better for these sorts of things. Turning 90 is a pretty big deal, and it was nice to have so many friends gathered together to honor her. Of course this was only a small gathering when you consider how many people she knows (and how many people know and lover her). This was put on by the missions team from Fourth Church and it was a lovely time. I took a bunch of pictures showing most of the people who were there but I think this is the best, of Carol, Margaret (a.k.a. the Birthday Girl), and Davin.

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Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant

TND at Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant

TND at Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant

For a little over a year our family has been having what we call Thursday Night Dinner (TND). It was initially ever week for a while but life gets busy and now it’s now and then, when people are available. This evening there were seven of us, Tsai-Hong, Ralph, Dot, Seth, Steve, Cathy, and me (not in the picture, because I was behind the camera, as I prefer). We had talked about going to a Thai restaurant. There is an Ethiopian restaurant next door and we figured we’d go to both on different weeks. Iris suggested we do Ethiopian tonight because she’s not fond of it and she couldn’t come tonight. She wants to go the Thai restaurant, when the times comes.

We had samplers with all sorts of dishes, ranging from mild to somewhat spicy. None of it was terribly hot. The best flavour, I think, was in two beef dishes. The first of those is kitfo, which their menu describes as “Ethiopian style steak tartar, seasoned to a rich flavor with our special blend of spices, spiced butter and mit’mit’a.” They will sear it for you, but we decided to go for the original.

The second that I really liked was tibs fitfit. “Tender beef cubes sautéed with onion, tomatoes, awaze and jalapeño mixed with injera.”

Actually, all of it was good and I ate more than I should have. Even so there was a lot left over.

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Abbie and Gracie

Abbie and Gracie

Abbie and Gracie

This isn’t the most flattering picture I’ve even taken of these two sisters, Abbie on the left and Grace on the right. Actually, the reason I was taking pictures of them was to get one considerably less flattering still (at their request!). I had intended to post that one but decided I would not, after all. So, feel free to laugh and to poke fun at them. If you know what the other pictures was then you probably know where it can be found. Feel free to enjoy it there. Abbie and Grace, if you want to post that one, it’s okay by me.

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McKenna and Dorothy

McKenna and Dorothy

McKenna and Dorothy

We drove up to Massachusetts today, taking about ten hours. Part of that was down to heavy traffic on 95 getting around Boston but the fact that we had two vehicles played a role, as well. We made it, though, in spite of getting separated coming off the George Washington Bridge. Dorothy moved into her dorm room and we met her new roommate, Kenna, pictured here with Dorothy. We went to a little taco place in Beverly called La Victoria Taqueria (http://www.victoriataqueria.com/). It was quite good and we enjoyed our food out doors. We’ve been having such hot weather that it was nice to be out on a pleasant evening. Here’s to Dorothy and Kenna.

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Amelia

Amelia

Amelia

We greeted the youngest family member in our church this afternoon. Amelia, just over two weeks old, joined her older brother and two older sisters with her parents at church today. Naturally we were all glad to see her and expect to get to know her better over the course of the next, well, however many years it takes to get to know her. She looks amazingly like her siblings, which isn’t too surprising. They’re a really good looking bunch and so much fun. Ellie says that Amelia is an easy baby so far. Lucky for her she doesn’t have kids that run her off her feet. Not all the time, anyway.

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Cathy and Henry’s 32nd Anniversary

Cathy and Henry, 32nd Anniversary

Cathy and Henry, 32nd Anniversary

Today is our 32nd Anniversary and after dinner and a visit to my mom’s we went out to dinner. We decided to go to Matchbox in Congressional Plaza on the Pike and we had a nice dinner. 32 years ago we had dinner at the Red Lobster on Shady Grove Road and we’ve returned there for anniversary dinners on occasion but thought we’d do something different this year. We had a nice meal, sharing a bowl of shrimp and grits (with cheddar and andouille butter sauce, which was excellent) and then each had a small pizza. We decided to take a few pictures of ourselves and this was done with the camera sitting on the table, which accounts for the slightly odd angle. It isn’t a great picture but if you know us, you already know what we look like and can more on to something else now. Regardless of how the picture turned out, I’m happy to say we’re as happily married as ever and looking forward to as many more years together as we are allowed.

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Our Backyard

Our Backyard

Our Backyard

The pictures from out yard which I post here are often close up shots of flowers of things found in the yard. Today I thought I’d give a wider view. I know I’ve done this before and our yard isn’t anything special but that’s what I thought I’d do. Cathy was cutting the grass in the back today so I included her in the picture. It’s been quite warm recently and fairly humid, or to put it another way, typical summer weather here in Maryland, hot and steamy, but we haven’t had anything approaching the drought conditions we get some years. That means the grass has kept growing through the summer, which looks nice but it means it needs to be cut. Anyway, the black-eyed Susans are nice.

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Happy Birthday, Ethan

Ethan, Age Nine

Ethan, Age Nine

We have known this handsome, young man since he arrived on these shores in March, the newest, if not the youngest, member of Ben and Erin’s family. Formerly of the Philippines, he’s now an All American Boy (like Jack Armstrong, if you hold the All properly). We were fortunate enough to be present at a small birthday party for him today. It was a fairly casual thing but fun, nonetheless.

We were at his house (or his parents’ home, you might say) for our bi-weekly prayer meeting and Bible study. After that was done, though, we took some time to recognize and celebrate Ethan’s milestone. Erin had asked if he wanted anything special for dinner. Apparently his first thought was that everyone would have a piece of salami and a hard boiled egg on their plate (if I’m remembering correctly, I’m writing this 11 days after the fact). After she insisted that they should probably have something a little more substantial, he decided on salmon.

For dessert, when the rest of us would be here to celebrate, he had forgone the traditional cake and asked for apple pie and ice cream (didn’t I tell you he’s an all American boy?). He helped his mom by passing out plates of pie and ice cream before having his own. Because he was acting as a waiter, he decided to put a dish towel over his arm and do it right.

Happy Birthday, Ethan. We love you.

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Ara’s EP Release Party

Ara's EP Release Party

Ara’s EP Release Party

Back in November (specifically Wednesday, November 18, 2015) I posted a picture under the title “Ara and the Band, Open Mic Night, Villain and Saint.” She was on stage again this evening, playing the songs from her new EP. If you are unfamiliar with the EP, it stands for Extended Play and designates (these days) a CD or download that is longer than a single and shorter than an LP (long playing record or CD). Generally they have up to 4 songs and are less than 25 minutes or so, although I don’t suppose there are any strict rules for this sort of thing. Anyway, she was releasing her EP (which you can get here: https://aracasey.bandcamp.com/) and we thought it would be nice to both support her and have an evening out.

As it turned out, our evening out turned out to be just me. Cathy got called away to something she couldn’t turn down (I know, I’m being vague and evasive but this is a public blog and I don’t feel like telling everyone everything that’s going on. Get over it.) so I went alone. Cathy would have liked to have come, as Ara is more her friend than mine. They play soccer together. We’ve also gone to her Día de Muertos party (see: Crazy Cat Lady and Eve) a couple times. That, and listening to her play, both times at Villain and Saint in Bethesda.

I took a bunch of pictures but this is my favorite. It just seems right, somehow. It was as good time.

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Cousins

Dot, Mary Ellen, Ann, LaClaire, and Glenn

Dot, Mary Ellen, Ann, LaClaire, and Glenn

We went to the now-annual family reunion on the way to the beach today and it was great to see family. We don’t have the biggest family to arrange reunions. We all know someone who belongs to a family where hundreds gather for a weekend or week-long celebration. But I wouldn’t trade my family for any other. These are the descendants of Fernando and Anna, who had five children who lived into adulthood and had families of their own. None of those siblings are still living and of their eleven children, we are down to five, with George leaving us in January. At these reunions, we generally take pictures (I know that will shock you) and if we get nothing else, a picture of the remaining first cousins is a must. Here they are in order from oldest to youngest (left to right), Dot, Mary Ellen, Ann, LaClaire, and Glenn. Of course there were also pictures of the second, third, and even fourth cousins. I’m a “second.”

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Family History Safari

Gilbert Cemetery - Thyme For Remembrance

Gilbert Cemetery – Thyme For Remembrance

As I mentioned in my last post, we went on what we decided to call (half jokingly) a ‘Family History Safari’ in northeastern Pennsylvania. Yesterday we drove up to Stroudsburg and visited the Delaware Water Gap. We enjoyed a quiet drive up the Old Mine Road through Worthington State Forest, on the New Jersey side of the river. Anyone who tells you New Jersey doesn’t have anything worth visiting has never been here. It was lovely, quiet, and peaceful. This morning we started with a visit to the courthouse to see if we could find any records about Cathy’s ancestors. We were sent to the archives but the archivist was out. After waiting a little while, we went to the local Historical Society office in the Stroud Mansion. Guess where the archivist happened to be? Yes, that’s right.

Merwinsburgh Hotel

Merwinsburgh Hotel

Cathy spent a while looking through old newspapers and I found some information on Pennsylvania’s 67th Regiment, in which her great, great, grandfather served. From there we drove to the little village of Gilbert, which you can literally miss by blinking (we did!). There we walked around the local cemetery and saw the church in which her great grandfather was baptized. We drove north from there to the old Merwinsburgh Hotel, where her great, great, uncle lived and worked for a time. Nothing earth shattering in terms of discoveries but a nice day.

We finished the day by spending about an hour and a half at the Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm, which was nice. While we were there I got a phone call from Dorothy saying she was fine. She wanted to let us know, so that when we saw the news we wouldn’t worry so much. We hadn’t been listening to the news so we didn’t know what was up, but shortly after that we started getting messages from friends asking if she was alright. She was.

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Chewed Stuffed Animals

Cathy and One of Her Old Stuffed Animals

Cathy and One of Her Old Stuffed Animals

After a day off and a beautiful wedding yesterday, we spent much of today going through things in Cathy’s mom’s shed. I took two more trips to the dump and we got through a lot of things. It isn’t exactly my idea of ‘vacation’ but a day off from work isn’t always about travel and seeing the sights. It needed to be done and it was good to do it. It was also good to be with David and Maggie, who leave tomorrow on the long drive home.

One thing that we had to do was go through a big, lidded basket filled with stuffed animals and dolls that belonged to Cathy. Unfortunately, the mice had already gone through the basket and most of the creatures inside were a little (in a few cases a lot) worse for the wear. There were one or two that even the mice wouldn’t touch, but for the most part, everything went to the dump. But I took pictures of Cathy with many of them as a remembrance. In the case of this picture, it’s a mouse that was totally disrespected by the other mice.

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Edy and Laurie

Edy and Laurie

Edy and Laurie

As I write this, it’s been a week since this picture was taken, but as always, I’m posting this with the date the photo was taken, not when it is finally put on-line. We had an absolutely wonderful time at the wedding of Laurie and Edy this evening. The ceremony and reception were both held at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, Virginia. We had never been there before but it reminds us quite a bit of Brookside Gardens, in Wheaton, Maryland, where we go often enough. In fact, seven years ago I met Laurie and her mom at Brookside Gardens to take some portraits for her graduation announcement. I know it’s cliche to say so, but it seems like only yesterday.

The wedding itself was lovely, under a mostly sunny, blue sky. Then, while the wedding party was involved in taking a few pictures, we were able to roam about the gardens a little while. This was taken as the bride and groom walked down towards a pond for a few more pictures.

It was also good to get caught up with Laurie’s sisters and her brother, who is heading off to college in the fall. Jack and Sue will be empty nesters for after raising five wonderful kids. Karlee and Nate will still be home from time to time, of course, and the others will visit, but this year will be an adjustment for them, as well.

Anyway, it was a lovely way to celebrate with a lovely couple and their families. We were honored to be invited and included in the festivities.

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Laura and Maggie

Laura and Maggie

Laura and Maggie

As I mentioned yesterday, two of Cathy’s nieces are here for a few days. This evening, Laura, Maggie, David, Margaret, Cathy, and I went out to dinner at Yekta in Rockville. If you’re looking for good, Persian kebabs, you can do a lot worse. We had a wonderful dinner and of course, there was plenty of laughter, as there always is when these two girls are together. After dinner we went to York Castle for ice cream and this picture was taken at one of the small tables out front. I’d say that Laura and Maggie were in rare form but that would be a lie. For them, it isn’t even remotely rare. I won’t say that they are my favorite two nieces but they are certainly in the top five.

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Cathy and Margie

Cathy and Margie

Cathy and Margie

Cathy and Margie have known each other since Cathy’s family moved here in the late 1960s and were close friends through high school. Of course people move and it’s harder to be close friends with people who live far away but they have managed to keep in touch pretty well through the years. We moved far away from here but close to Margie and her family in the mid 1980s, so that helped. We’re back here again so usually only see her when she’s visiting family, although when Dorothy went to Alaska for spring break earlier this year they ran into each other in the airport. Small world. Or small airport, anyway.

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Erick’s Hope Benefit Dinner

Diane, Amy, and Cathy

Diane, Amy, and Cathy

We went to the benefit dinner for Erick’s Hope this evening and enjoyed seeing a few friends, including Diane and Amy, pictured here with Cathy. In their own words, “Erick’s Hope exists to serve children in need of love and security by providing spiritual, emotional, physical and educational support through a variety of programs and services.” For more info, see https://erickshope.wordpress.com/. There was a huge selection of items in the dessert auction (we got a peach pie!) as well as the more traditional silent auction items. And the roast beast was delicious. Sadly we had to leave early so didn’t get to visit with other friends who came later.

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Future Fireman

Future Fireman

Future Fireman

The Rockville Chamber of Commerce put on it’s first annual Community Fun Day today. I’m always impressed by the optimism in anything billed as being the first annual whatever. You could say that anything you do once was the first annual, but it implies you’ll do it again in a year. Even if you don’t, the first one was still the first (and last) annual event. In this case, I think there will be another next year, but time, as they say, will tell.

Our pastor had volunteered us to provide man (and woman) power to help with the event and I spent a bit of time in front of a grill. It’s a place I’m comfortable and reasonably capable, so that was fine. I also took what opportunity I was given to take a few pictures. The delay in getting the meat to the site helped give me more time.

There was a fire truck, ambulance, and police car there as attractions, along with a moon bounce and fairly large, inflatable slide. The fire truck attracted a fairly high percentage of the crowd, as they usually do. This youngster, however, stood out from the usual onlookers. He came in a pretty good rendition of a fireman’s outfit and was good enough to pose for a few pictures with what may very well be his future ride.

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Farewell to Friends

Farewell to Friends

Farewell to Friends

Nooree and Jane moved out today, heading back to Philadelphia and the next stage of their epic journey. We are so blessed to have had the chance to get to know them and look forward to hearing about the next stage of their lives. We’re also going to miss them and their darling, wonderful, exuberant, and beautiful children. Cathy and I have been involved in countless moves through the years and now that we’re the other side of 50 we have less trouble saying that we’ll play with the kids or I’ll take pictures for posterity. We actually didn’t even show up until the truck was about 99% loaded. Nooree asked if I’d take a group picture for them and here it is. Note: I’m in this picture. That part was taken by Cathy. The rest is mine.

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Leaving On A Jet Plane

Dulles International Airport

Dulles International Airport

Once again I’m late posting this (posting on Saturday, June 11) but the photo was taken on Monday, June 6. Cathy and I took the day off work today and the day was basically dedicated to getting Dorothy to the airport and on her way. We left home at about 11:30 and had no trouble getting to the airport. The airport in general was not crowded and the line at the Aeroflot counter in particular was not long so we didn’t have to wait more than about 15 minutes to check her one bag. We had plenty of time before her flight and as usual, I looked around for interesting views of Dulles.

Cathy, Dorothy, and Henry

Cathy, Dorothy, and Henry

The signs for the security entrance to the gates said there was only a ten minute wait so we sat and chatted a little while before Dorothy headed off for the first leg of her four leg journey to Turkey. Her first flight was by far the longest, going over the north Atlantic (and directly over Iceland) to Moscow. That’s a new country for Dorothy and she was happy to be able to add it to her list. After sitting with her a little while, we saw her off to the secured area of the airport and were home for a while before she boarded an Airbus 330-300 and her adventure began.

Oh, and FYI, I only took two-thirds of the second of these pictures. Cathy took the picture of me that has been edited into the one I took of Cathy and Dorothy.

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Seth and Iris

Seth and Iris

Seth and Iris

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to take any pictures during the ceremony. There were plenty of others to do that, including the professional photographer. Video was also shot, so it should be covered well enough. But in spite of having basically the best seat in the house (I was standing, actually), I didn’t have the liberty to stop and take pictures. In any case, I did get a few before and after the wedding, when my official duties were complete. Most of the guests had left for the reception and a few of us were still at the farm loading things into our vans and cars. The photographer was still working with Iris and Seth on a few pictures and I took a moment to join in, taking a couple of them walking together. It was a beautiful, if somewhat hot, afternoon but the rain held off and Iris and Seth got married.

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Planting the Wedding Tree

Seth and Iris Planting the Wedding Tree

Seth and Iris Planting the Wedding Tree

Iris and Seth’s wedding weekend has finally arrived (well, if you count taking Friday off work as part of the weekend, anyway). We drove up to Pennsylvania this morning to get some of the final things done before tomorrow’s wedding. First, Cathy and I made sure the portable toilets were delivered and in the right locations. Then we went to the Round Barn to drop some things off and for me to set up the photo booth. Cathy and Tsai-Hong left to go to the farm and while they were there (and I was still working on the photo booth) it rained. I mean, it really rained. By the time I got to the farm, the rain had stopped but the ground was really wet. The few cars that came up to the cabin tore up the ground a bit and we stopped others from driving that far so it wouldn’t get any worse.

But about this tree. Iris and Seth wanted to plant a tree as part of their wedding but didn’t want to interrupt the ceremony long enough to do the whole thing, so they did most of the work today, a day ahead. Iris’s brother, Steve, dug the hole for them and the two of us carried the tree down from mom’s van. Then Seth and Iris did the actual planting. Tomorrow, during the service, they will put a few final shovels of dirt on it. Later we’ll put a fence around it to keep animals off and I’ll stake it to keep it upright until it has enough roots growing into the undisturbed soil around it.

The tree the picked is a black gum, also known as a tupelo. It is a variety called ‘Red Rage’ and is a lovely tree with shiny green leaves and spectacular fall color and with berries that attract birds. It was also picked as a tree likely to do well in both wet and drought conditions (i.e., “…for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health…”).

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Congratulations, James!

Amy, Dr. Vanderpoel, James, and Jon

Amy, Dr. Vanderpoel, James, and Jon

We were fortunate enough to be able to share the excitement today with two families whose youngest sons were graduating from Trinity Christian School in Fairfax. This is Amy, James (the graduate) and Jon (the older brother). We’ve known them since Dorothy entered kindergarten and was a classmate of Jon’s through third grade (when we switched schools). We also enjoyed seeing Nate and his family. We see the youngest of his sisters (Karlee) more than the rest but it was great to see Laurie, Stacy, and Amy. Hard to believe it’s been nearly ten years since Amy got married! Anyway, a fun time. Congratulations, James! And Nate!

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Jules

Jules

Jules

Few people take the time to comment on the pictures on my blog. Followers who see the pictures on Facebook do a little more frequently but even there it’s probably on fewer than half of my pictures. That’s fine, of course, I don’t want people to comment for the sake of commenting (although I do like knowing that people are actually seeing them).

The reason I bring this up is that I had my first non-spam comment in over 7 months after posting the picture of Cathy two days ago. Even that wouldn’t have rated a mention here except the comment came from Julia’s mom. And here I am, two days later, posting a picture of Julia (or, as I call her, Jules, because she’s a gem). She had finished just finished her junior year in college and was home for the summer. At least she was out of school for the summer. She was only home for a few days before heading off to some flatland in flyover country for an internship. I only make it sound like a wasteland because it meant that Jules couldn’t work for us this summer. We were hoping to get quite a bit of her time to work in both our house and Cathy’s mom’s. But, that’s the way it goes.

Maureen and Bob (Julia’s parents) asked us over for dinner this evening, sharing one of their few evenings before Julia left with us. It was an honor to be invited and we had such a good time with them all. Thanks, guys. We sure love you.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

I nearly called it quits tonight. Since the beginning of 2011 (actually starting three days before that, on December 29, 2010, I’ve taken at least one photograph every day. The first year’s worth were posted to Facebook and then starting in 2012 they’ve been posted here. I still linked to them from Facebook and more recently posted them to Instagram, as well.

There have been a few times when I wasn’t sure I’d keep going. For the few of you who actually read this, rather than just enjoy the pictures on Instagram or Facebook, I really appreciate it. You are the main reason I’ve kept going. The next level are those who mention to me that they enjoy the pictures on Facebook. I know a lot more people see them than comment or even click on the “Like” button (because I hear from you in other ways) and that’s quite encouraging, as well.

This evening it was a few minutes before 11:00 p.m. and I hadn’t taken a picture. Cathy had just gotten home form her indoor soccer game and when I told her I was thinking about just not taking a picture today she said, “come on, get off the couch and take a picture of me.” So, I did. And here we are, continuing the streak at 1,967 days.

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Cathy’s New Hanging Baskets

Cathy's New Hanging Baskets

Cathy’s New Hanging Baskets

Generally Cathy likes to buy plants and put together hanging baskets for herself. That gives her the chance to be creative, to use the plants and colors that she particularly likes, and also saves money by starting with smaller plants that will quickly fill the baskets in any case. This year, however, there was an item in the school’s annual silent auction for four hanging baskets from a mostly wholesale nursery. Cathy bid on them and ended up with the high bid. Today she went and picked out the four she wanted. Three of them are going on hooks in the back yard and the fourth (the pink one in the middle of this photo) will go to her mom’s house.

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Wedding Arch

Wedding Arch Construction Team

Wedding Arch Construction Team

Iris and Seth are getting married in a few short weeks. They chose to get married at ‘the farm’ in Pennsylvania and one thing Iris wanted was an arch or gateway like one she saw on Pinterest. If you search for ‘wedding arch’ there you will see hundreds (thousands?) of different arches made of a very wide variety of materials and decorated in an even wider array of materials. This is the one Iris liked and wanted us to reproduce. The wood was bought last year from a local saw mill and has been outside weathering since then. Today, we erected the gateway. It is not decorated yet, of course, but the heavy lifting (and I mean that literally) is done. From left to right in the picture are yours truly, Dot, Tsai-Hong, Ralph, Seth, Iris (with Bean), and Steve (with D’Argo).

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Oberon – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Oberon – A Midsummer Night's Dream

Oberon – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Night two of the three show run of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (or, as we call it, Judah in Tights) at Washington Christian Academy was a success and I was there again, enjoying the show and taking a few pictures, as is my wont. In addition to taking pictures during the show, I took some before, as well, while the actors and actresses were getting into costume and makeup. When they are ready, they hang about, talking and laughing, occasionally singing, and generally having a good time.

Judah, who plays Oberon, the King of the Fairies, was up on the boxes that make up most of the stage set. During the performance he’s up there a fair amount and at one point jumps off, his cape filling with air as he descends. During the show I’m not using flash, of course, so the 1/80 or 1/100 second exposure isn’t fast enough to stop the action and although I got the picture, it’s fairly blurred. So, before the show this evening I asked him to do it for me and was ready with my flash. This is the result. It still isn’t as sharp as I’d like, but motion is like that.

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Ethan and Abbie

Ethan and Abbie

Ethan and Abbie

Cathy and I spent the afternoon and evening with Ben and Erin’s younger kids today and had a really nice time. We’ve gotten to know them reasonably well overt the last year and a bit, except Ethan, of course, because he only officially joined the family recently. We really enjoyed being with them and getting to know Ethan a bit better, in particular. Abbie came home for a little while before leaving again for a babysitting gig and although she’s not a fan of having her picture taken, she did let me take a few of her and her youngest brother. I think this one turned out pretty well.

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Oberon, King Of The Fairies

Oberon (a.k.a. Judah), King of the Fairies

Oberon (a.k.a. Judah), King of the Fairies

The Washington Christian Academy high school theater production this year is to be A Midsummer Night’s Dream (by Bill Shakespeare). I spent a few hours today taking portraits of all the students involved (with the exception of one who was out sick). They didn’t have their costumes yet, but some had makeup put on for the first time today. As you can see, Judah is one such actor. He plays the part of Oberon, feuding with Titania over the fate of a changeling boy.

Why should Titania cross her Oberon?
I do but beg a little changeling boy,
To be my henchman.

As you probably know, he concocts a potion made from the flower ‘Love-in-idleness’ (the wild pansy, Viola tricolor) to make her fall in love with the first creature she sees upon waking. As is usual in such a play, particularly when the Bard of Avon is involved, things get complicated. If you want to know how it all ends, you’ll have to come next week. Show times are Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at noon. Contact WCA for information on tickets.

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Kadie and Stephen

Kadie and Stephen

Kadie and Stephen

We were fortunate enough to be able to help Kadie and Stephen celebrate their nuptials this afternoon and evening. Their wedding was beautiful, fun, and somewhat funny and we wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else. Planning an outdoor wedding for the first week of April is a risk but aside from being a little cool it was a gloriously beautiful day. This is the happy couple leaving the reception, being saluted by their friends and family with light sabers and glow wands.

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Ethan Arrives!

Ben, Will, Gracy, Hope, Ethan, Lilly, and Erin

Ben, Will, Gracy, Hope, Ethan, Lilly, and Erin

It was an exciting day today for some very good friends of ours. Ben and Erin and their family have been working to adopt Ethan for about two years and all that work and effort finally payed off. Ben and Lilly (daughter number three) left last Saturday and returned late this morning. Cathy and I were privileged to be allowed to come so I could take pictures. If you are connected to the family on facebook you have probably already seen some of them, posted by Erin and Abbie, but I wanted to put this up here. It’s by far my favorite of the pictures I got. We are all so excited to get to know Ethan and to welcome him into our community.

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Adera and Alshadye

Adera and Alshadye

Adera and Alshadye

We had a bit of an unusual church service this week. Our pastor was out of town. He knew he would be leaving sometime but didn’t know when, for sure. This is all due to an adoption process that is very time consuming (not to mention costly) and fraught with all sorts of hurdles and hoops over and through which the adoptive parents must leap.

Instead of a regular sermon, we heard from six people from the church, four individuals and one couple. One of them was Alshadye, the young woman in this photograph. As we were preparing before the service, we were looking for pictures of the various speakers to put up on the screens. I had at least one of each of the others (and we also found some on Facebook) but I didn’t have any that were any good of Alshadye.

So, after the service I got out my camera (as I often do) and took some pictures, including this one of her with her son, Adera.

Not having a picture was pretty irrelevant, of course. What she shared with us was much more important and I’m so thankful to have her worshiping with us and involved in our community.

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Will and Ben

Will and Ben

Will and Ben

It was a pretty eventful day, but more about that in a minute. We want to Ben and Erin’s house for our bi-weekly prayer meeting and Bible study. It was a good time, both for the actual prayer and Bible study and simple as a time with friends. As usual, I brought my camera. I don’t always get it out, but I typically have it with me anywhere I go. This is Will and Ben (or more precisely Ben and Ben, but the younger Ben goes by his middle name, which is William.

Self-portrait, by Will

Self-portrait, by Will

Will took a bunch of pictures with my camera, as well, and I thought I’d share one of them with you. So, this is a self portrait that he took, not really realizing that the flash would totally overwhelm the rest of the picture. But I kind of like it. It’s a somewhat surreal self portrait and suited to his personality. He also took a really good picture of me making a weird face at the camera. I won’t be sharing that one.

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Dinner With Friends and Family

Dinner Gathering

Dinner Gathering

I didn’t get out much today. I went to work and was in my office pretty much straight through. Rather than come home and find something to photograph today, however, Cathy call to say that her mom had asked us to come for dinner. She had some folks staying with her, Tim and Karen, who are in the middle of this photograph. She also had five others over, plus us, making 10. We had a very nice time chatting, visiting with folks we already know and meeting a few that we don’t.

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WCA History Night

Collyn, Queen of Egypt

Collyn, Queen of Egypt

There are many things I love about Washington Christian Academy. Among my favorite things they do it History Night. Every year the elementary school puts on a show. Each class represents a culture and period in history in story and song. We haven’t been every year but this has been a part of our lives for many years and it always brings me back to Dorothy’s elementary school days. This is Collyn, first grade teacher and sometime Egyptian queen, in her classroom, which has been transformed into the inside of a pyramid, decorated with the life sized self-portraits of her students. We still have Dorothy’s from first grade.

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A Bit of Snow

Cathy, Waist Deep In Snow

Cathy, Waist Deep In Snow

When I got up this morning there was just about 20 inches of snow on the ground, give or take an inch depending on where I measured. The wind was blowing it around a fair amount and while there weren’t many drifts in the yard, there were around any large object (car, house, tree, that sort of thing). I shoveled about half way down the drive but of course much of that work will need to be repeated tomorrow, once it stops snowing.

In the early afternoon we went for a short walk out to Norbeck Road. Our street hasn’t been plowed although something had driving down it and there were two large tire tracks we could walk in. The main road through the neighborhood had been plowed once but still had quite a bit of snow on it. We managed to get out to Norbeck, which was quite passable, if you could get to it (which I don’t think we could, even in our four-wheel-drive vehicle.

But it was nice to get out. Of course, after an hour or so in the snow, particularly on the way back when the wind was in our faces, it was even nicer to get indoors again. We did stop to enjoy watching our neighbor kids sledding on a hill their dad had made with a picnic table and piled snow. It wasn’t Vail or Stowe but for little kids, it was just about perfect.

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Family Dinner

Tsai-Hong, Ralph, Steve, Dot, Brady, Seth, Iris, Cathy, and Maya

Tsai-Hong, Ralph, Steve, Dot, Brady, Seth, Iris, Cathy, and Maya

Since last summer we have been trying to have a somewhat regular family dinner. Those who can get together on a Thursday evening at a local restaurant. We can’t all come every week but when we can, we do. It’s been a very good thing and I only wish we had started it years earlier. Over the Christmas and New Year season our weeks get quite busy with other things so it’s been a while since we were all together. Tonight we had a nice meal at El Mariachi. The meal was secondary, though, it’s always the people. So thankful for this funny old family of ours. It isn’t a great picture but at least you can see everyone.

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Dorothy, Bobby, and John

Dorothy, Bobby, and John

Dorothy, Bobby, and John

Here’s one more picture from Tuesday, January 12. After a short break while I walked around the campus and then went and checked into my hotel, I went back to the school and picked up Dorothy and two of her friends, Bobby (center), and John (right). We went to Nick’s Famous Roast Beef for dinner. We weren’t sure they would be open, because in December the owners were indicted for conspiracy to defraud the United States (i.e., they are accused of hiding receipts from the IRS to avoid taxes). We were happy to find that they were open for business and we enjoyed a nice meal. When we left, it had begun raining and by the time I was back at my hotel, it was snowing a fairly wet snow. I wasn’t sure what that might mean for the drive home tomorrow.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

It’s been a fairly busy time and with the weather turning cold, we haven’t been out and about as much. Because of that I’ve had a harder time getting out to take pictures. This evening I asked Dorothy and Cathy if I could take their pictures and they both let me.

I’m going with one of Cathy that I think is pretty good. She’s not dressed up, wearing a soccer jersey, but I don’t think that matters at all.

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Mike

Mike

Mike

We have some really good friends. In fact, we often wonder how we have so many friends, because we’re somewhat antisocial at times and we have a hard time getting to know people. But somehow, it happens. Way back when Dorothy was in first grade, there were two first grade classes at the school. Dorothy had Erin as a teacher. The other class was taught by Krystal. Although we didn’t get to know Krystal well that year, in the few years that followed we did. We also got to know Krystal’s husband, Mike, pictured here.

Since getting to know them, they have become two of our very favorite people in the universe (and possibly beyond). We take every opportunity we can to see them, which isn’t nearly enough (life happens). We went with them to a newish Peruvian restaurant in Olney this evening and I took this picture of Mike, which I think is really good.

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Julia and Dorothy

Julia and Dorothy

Julia and Dorothy

Julia came over this evening and she and Dorothy cooked with me. We made some yogurt that is taking longer than expected to “yog” but we also made some pretty wicked mac and cheese. After an enjoyable dinner, the girls (including Cathy) helped me narrow a collection of pictures to something manageable for a slide show for church on Sunday. We paused part way through and I took a few pictures (which I know will surprise you).

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Jacob, Kendra, and Dorothy

Jacob, Kendra, and Dorothy

Jacob, Kendra, and Dorothy

It’s been a pretty busy holiday season for us and we’ve had people over for dinner more than in any similar period in a long time (not necessarily more people in total, but more separate events). This evening we had Kendra and Jacob over for dinner and then we just hung out talking. They are heading back to college tomorrow and it was very nice to get an entire evening with them. I took some pictures through the evening but then at one point asked them all to sit together for a more posed picture, and this is the result.

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My Goose Is Cooked

Maria, Cathy, Jean, Lexi, and Dorothy

Maria, Cathy, Jean, Lexi, and Dorothy

We had Jean, Maria, and Lexi over for dinner this evening and I roasted a goose. That’s something I’ve never done before and I was a little worried it wouldn’t turn out well, but it did. I may have overcooked it slightly so the meat was a little tougher than it should have been but the flavor was great. It released a serious quantity of fat, in which I cooked some potatoes and beets. The potatoes were creamy and rich and the beets (if you like that sort of thing) sweet and luscious. Better than the meal, however, was the company. What a nice evening we had. There was much merriment and laughter.

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New Year’s Day

Amy, Jon, and James

Amy, Jon, and James

Speaking of New Year’s traditions…

Way back in 2004, these folks invited us over for what Amy described as a low-key, casual New Year’s Day party. We had known them for a few years, when Dorothy and Jon went to Kindergarten together and by this time they were in second grade, James was in Kindergarten and we were carpooling to school together. We had a great time and were very happy when Amy made the same offer the following year. She made that same offer every year through 2011. We had two years off after that but for the last three New Year’s Days, we have had them over to our house. The other guests change as we like to mix it up a little, but Amy, the boys (and fondue) are the constants. What a nice time we had together.

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Dot’s New Year’s Eve Party

Dot and Tsai-Hong

Dot and Tsai-Hong

For as long as I can remember my mom has had a New Year’s Eve party (on New Year’s Eve). I don’t actually know when she started doing that but it’s been a while, anyway. We generally go but it’s been a while since we actually stayed until midnight. For the last few years we’ve gone (or at least Dorothy and I have gone) from there to a party with folks from our church. This year we left early again, but Dorothy went one way and Cathy and I went another, spending the last hour and a half of 2015 with some friends. Anyway, here is mom (Dot) and Tsai-Hong but the picture also shows the spread, which is always pretty fabulous (and there’s more to be put out, as well).

NOTE: With this photo, I finish five years of taking at least one photograph every day and posting it to the web. Four years are here on the blog (I really need to add that first year to this). Thank you for joining me in this photographic journey. I can’t say if I’ll keep it up through the next year, but you never know.

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Annual Museum Outing

Four Dancers by Edgar Degas, with help from Dorothy and Karlee

Four Dancers by Edgar Degas, with help from Dorothy and Karlee

Dorothy and Karlee met in fourth grade and had only that one year together at the same school. Half way through that year, though, I took the two girls downtown and we went ice skating at the National Gallery of Art Ice Rink and then went to the gallery itself. I took the picture to the right, which is Four Dancers, by Edgar Degas, and modified it a little, replacing two of Degas’ dancers with two of my favorites. That was December 27, 2005. It seems like yesterday.

Dorothy and Karlee at the White House

Dorothy and Karlee at the White House

The girls have grown up in the ten years since then and despite being at different schools starting the next year and being in different states a few years later, we have managed to keep in touch and (I’m happy to say) Dorothy and Karlee remain very good friends. This is in part through two annual trips that have become quite a tradition. Starting that next summer, Karlee came with us to the beach. She’s been with us at the beach every year we’ve gone (we didn’t go in 2007 or 2009) until this year, when she couldn’t make it. Dorothy didn’t come this year, either, so it might have been a bit awkward. We were only there two nights, in any case, coming home early.

Dorothy and Karlee in “Shindig”

Dorothy and Karlee in “Shindig”

The other trip was our annual trip downtown. We didn’t make it every year and Karlee wasn’t with us every year we did go (and once we went to Baltimore, instead of D.C.). Actually, after that first trip in 2005, Karlee didn’t go downtown with us again until 2012. However, she has gone with us every year since then and I was so happy when we asked her if she was up for it this year and she seemed excited to go. In general we drive down and park in what seems an outrageously expensive parking garage. Then we walk. Sometimes we walk a lot.

In 2012 we went to the Natural History Museum, the American History Museum, and finally Union Station. You can see some pictures from that in the post titled Union Station, Friday, December 28, 2012.

In 2013 we walked to the Freer Gallery and were particularly impressed with the Peacock Room. Also, they had the Washington Gospels on exhibit. Also known as Codex Washingtonianus, it is the third-oldest Greek parchment manuscript of the Gospels in the world (late 4th–early 5th century). From there we went to the Pension Building (a.k.a. the National Building Museum) and the American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery (which share a building just south of the Verizon Center). There are two picture from that trip in the post titled Freer Gallery and Pension Building, Monday, December 30, 2013.

Portion of “Shindig” by Patrick Dougherty

Portion of “Shindig” by Patrick Dougherty

Finally, last year, we went to the National Archives and saw the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, as well as a 1297 copy of Magna Carta, which was about to begin celebrating its 800th anniversary. We also went to the National Gallery of Art and then walked around the U.S. Capitol building to the Library of Congress where, in addition to the magnificent Main Reading Room, we saw another copy of Magna Carta, this time one of the four originals from 1215. Two pictures from that trip are in two separate posts, titled Dorothy and Karlee At The Capitol, Wednesday, December 31, 2014 and Main Reading Room, Library of Congress, Wednesday, December 31, 2014.

“Plexus A1” by Gabriel Dawe

“Plexus A1” by Gabriel Dawe

This year, we went downtown without any real plan as to what we would see. As I took a wrong turn and went under the mall, ending up near the Maine Street Fish Market, we toyed with the idea of driving to Richmond instead, but we were already in D.C. so we stayed. We parked in a garage in the Evening Sun building ($21) and walked to the White House, where the first of this year’s pictures was taken. Actually, we started on the south front and then walked around the Pennsylvania Avenue, where this pictures was taken.

“1.8” by Janet Echelman

“1.8” by Janet Echelman

We backtracked a little on Pennsylvania Avenue to the Renwick Gallery (at 17th and Pennsylvania) where we saw a number of interesting exhibits, some of which are shown in my pictures here. First was Shindig by Patrick Dougherty, who weaves “enormous pods that offer discovery and sanctuary to visitors“ with “willow osiers and saplings.” It was a difficult exhibit to photograph for a number of reasons, including the low light levels, the crowds of people, and of course the shear size of the exhibit. The two pictures here give you some idea. In the second one, you can see that I had to time my photograph between people walking past (and almost made it!).

Following that, in the next room, was a piece called Plexus A1 by Gabriel Dawe. It was a rainbow of color made with thread and light and was quite beautiful. Perhaps not as stunning as a real rainbow but less fleeting and still quite lovely.

“Middle Fork (Cascades)” by John Grade

“Middle Fork (Cascades)” by John Grade

After that there was an exhibit made of index cards stacked into giant pillars like the rock formations found in Bryce National Park (only without the color). I didn’t include a photo of that, but I found it quite compelling (if a little odd). I particularly liked the monochrome aspect of it combined with splashes of color from the people walking in an around the piers. After that we went upstairs to a large room housing 1.8 by Janet Echelman. It was a large net suspended from the ceiling and colored by lights that cycled slowly through a variety of colors. I particularly enjoyed watching people watching the colors change, especially those lying on the floor with their camera phones aimed up at the netting.

“In the Midnight Garden” by Jennifer Angus

“In the Midnight Garden” by Jennifer Angus

From there was Middle Fork (Cascades) by John Grade, a large “tree” lying on its side and suspended from the ceiling by wires. It was hollow and interesting and kind of odd but I liked it well enough. Getting into that room took a little bit of waiting but it was worth it for the room that came after. Well, there was a map of the eastern seaboard with the water represented by pale blue-green marbles, fastened to the floor and walls. That was alright, I guess, but it didn’t really excite me.

There was also a sort of maze-like thing made from black leather strips. Eh.

But I really enjoyed In the Midnight Garden by Jennifer Angus. It was a room with bright pink walls covered with designs made from a wide variety of insects. I really liked that room. The color, the patterns on the wall, the fact that they were bugs and sometime huge bugs, was really nice. Worth the price of admission by itself (of course the exhibit was free!).

Dorothy and Karlee with “Alexander Graham Bell” by Moses Wainer Dykaar

Dorothy and Karlee with “Alexander Graham Bell” by Moses Wainer Dykaar

From the Renwick we walked to the American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery and then to the National Gallery of Art. The final picture for today was taken in the Portrait Gallery and is of a very stern Alexander Graham Bell with Dorothy and Karlee trying to imitate his “dad face.”

All in all, we had a great time. We were tired but satisfied with our outing and look forward to doing it again next year (God willing).

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Darius

Darius

Darius

One more photo of Darius, because you really can’t have too many pictures of this little fellow. He and his dad leave for home tomorrow (and by the time I am writing this, on Thursday, they are home). We were out doing a little after-Christmas shopping this afternoon and then went to see them in the early evening. We were sad to say goodbye but all good things must come to an end. Hopefully we will see them again before too long. Thanks, Darius, for helping to make our Christmas bright.

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After-Christmas

Henry, Cathy, Dorothy, Margaret, David, Darius, and Bubs

Henry, Cathy, Dorothy, Margaret, David, Darius, and Bubs

Christmas is over. Today is after-Christmas, more popularly known as Boxing Day. We did things around the house today and I went to the hardware store for a few pieces of lumber for two different projects I’m working on.

In the evening we went back to Cathy’s mom’s for dinner and after dinner we took a couple group photos for posterity. Here we are. What more can I say?

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Darius on Christmas

Darius on Christmas

Darius on Christmas

I warned you that there might be a few pictures of this little boy. After opening our own stockings at home, Cathy, Dorothy, and I went over to Cathy’s mom’s house and enjoyed the rest of the morning and the early afternoon with her, with David, and with Darius. In particular we participated in Darius’ joy in opening his presents. If you know him, then you will see the joy in his eyes in this picture.

He was vary patient, waiting until after breakfast to open presents. Then he helped his dad pass presents around, stopping now and again to open one to himself, of course.

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Darius

Darius

Darius

If you don’t like pictures of cute children, then perhaps you might want to take a break from following my posts for a few days. Darius is in town and that means pictures. I’m afraid that there will be the occasional picture of him through next Monday, when he and David head home. We really enjoy seeing them both and are so glad that, even if he sometimes gets us all confused with each other, he has some inkling of who we are. Like many kids this age, he tries not to let good photographs be taken of him. This one turned out pretty well, though.

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Santa Lights

Santa Lights

Santa Lights

Because our church meets in the afternoon, our Sunday schedule is a bit unusual, compared to what it has been in the past. We got home this evening at about 6:40 and we could hear the music from “Santa’s Sleigh” as he made his annual pre-Christmas Eve rounds of our neighborhood. We didn’t have long to wait. Within a minute or two he was coming up our street, music blaring and Santa Ho-Ho-Hoing as he came. His helpers (Elves, I suppose) threw a few fibre optic “Santa Lights” our way and Cathy let me take a few of her, twirling them around in our front hall.

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Kimia and Solomon

Kimia and Solomon

Kimia and Solomon

We had our friend Kimia over this evening and she invited some people she knows (a few of whom we know, as well) to hear about her plans to go to South American. She was a missionary kid in Africa and she always expected that when the time came, that’s where she’d go. As it turned out (and is continuing to turn out), she’s going to Colombia, instead. It was nice to have a chance to catch up with her again and to meet some of her friends. While she was here ahead of the others, we got caught up on all our lives. She also was brave enough to hold Solomon and pose for a few pictures. He’s a Mexican bird, rather than Colombian, but at least he isn’t an African grey.

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Holiday Party

KC, Jane, and Brice

KC, Jane, and Brice

This is the fourth year in a row that I’ve posted a picture from my company holiday party. The previous posts were on December 07, 2012 , December 19, 2013 , and December 12, 2014. This year, I took fewer pictures because I was a little distracted. On the way to the party, the brakes in my van stopped working. I was approaching a traffic light and it turned red. I put on the brakes and nothing happened. The car barely slowed down. I tried pumping them and the pedal went to the floor. Fortunately no one had started through the intersection and I went through without incident but I had to use the parking brake to slow down the rest of the way to the party. I had the van towed from there and got a ride back from the party. Anyway, enough about that. The party itself was nice and it’s always good to be with these folks and not be talking about work.

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Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait

I’m not a big fan of the selfie and I don’t even particularly like having my picture taken. I know that’s a bit funny coming from someone who is often trying to get others to smile for me, but it’s the truth. I would much rather look at pictures of other people than of myself. I suppose that’s a fairly common attitude.

This evening, though, I set the camera up on a china cabinet and set the self-timer, focused as best I could, and took a few pictures. This is the best, in terms of my expression, etc., although it’s not perfectly sharp. Still, not a terrible portrait. And as much as I don’t like looking at myself, I guess I should be thankful that I don’t have to very often. Sorry, for all of you who have a harder time avoiding it.

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Rena

Rena

Rena

Taking pictures of kids can be fun but it can also present some very unique challenges. One of the biggest issues with kids is that, even if they want to be photographed, they often don’t know how to smile naturally. That’s sometimes true for adults, as well, of course, but not as common. With kids, even if they have the most beautiful smile in the world, if you ask them to smile, you get a very forced, very unnatural, toothy grin.

What’s really nice, though, is when you are able to catch an real, natural smile on one of these little ones. This picture is a great example. Rena’s “smile please” isn’t terrible, but it’s still a little less natural than her “real” smile. This is her real smile. It may not be her biggest, happiest smile, but it’s genuine and delightful.

And beautiful.

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Cathy

Cathy, Hawlings River

Cathy, Hawlings River

We had a beautiful day today and Cathy and I took advantage of it. After a chilly morning, with significant frost, it warmed up to almost 50°F and in the sun it felt more than that. We went to a local nature preserve and walked through the woods and down to the Hawlings River. Not exactly the might Yukon or Amazon, but it’s a pretty little river and quite cheering on an early winter’s day. Here’s a picture of Cathy, enjoying the view and the sound of running water.

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Grace and Marley

Grace and Marley

Grace and Marley

This is Grace. Grace likes babies. I mean, she really likes babies. The baby in vogue at the moment is Marley, an adorable little thing, although her mother says she beginning to exhibit signs of being naughty in a stealthy sort of way. She makes up for it by being so darn cute, but of course, human nature being what it is, she’ll need some correction along the way.

It’s been about eleven months that we’ve been getting to know Grace and her family, as well as all our wonderful new friends at Cross Community Rockville. We’ve been greatly blessed by them and I don’t know that my feeble writing skills can do justice to how grateful we are to them all.

One thing I’m especially looking forward to, as I do wherever I am, it watching these little ones grow up. This is one of the few benefits of being old—the ability to see the trees and not just the forest. On the other hand, of course, with age comes oldness, as we like to say.

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Dorothy at Rocky Islands, Potomac River, Maryland

Dorothy at Rocky Islands, Potomac River, Maryland

Dorothy at Rocky Islands, Potomac River, Maryland

It’s been really nice to have Dorothy home, even if only for a few days. It wasn’t a particularly promising day, weather-wise, today, but Cathy, Dorothy, and I took a chance and went to Great Falls late this morning. We were not alone and it was fairly crowded, at least for late November. Still, we had a great time, walking out to the overlook on Falls Island and then climbing up and over the rocks on Rocky Islands, below the falls. This is from a place we call Sandy Beach, looking towards the north end of Rocky Islands.

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Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Family Photo

Thanksgiving Family Photo

Like many families, we have a few traditions. One of them is a family photo on Thanksgiving. It’s nice to be able to look at a collection of them for each year, thinking back to all the changes, happy and sad, that have taken place over the years. Generally there are two cameras set up, mom’s and mine, and they are both set to take a photo on a ten second delay. I am sitting on the floor in front in this picture because it was the easiest place for me to be, considering I had to start the timers going and then hurry to get in, without tripping over a tripod in the process.

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Dinner With the Guys

Joel, Steve, David, Ben, Juan, and Henry

Joel, Steve, David, Ben, Juan, and Henry

I had dinner with these guys this evening at Matchbox in Rockville. If you go there, I can highly recommend the spicy meatball pizza and the plate of six mini-burgers. The burgers themselves are good but the pile of thinly sliced, fried onions were really great. We had a great time talking about whatever came to mind. Thanks, guys for putting up with my puns. This picture was taken outside, where there is a fire burning at the corner of the building. I didn’t have anything to put the camera on, so the platform around the fire takes up a fair amount of the foreground.

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Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child

Cathy’s a fan of Operation Christmas Child. I mean, a huge fan. She collects things over the course of most of the year. In the past, when she starting participating, she did a box with Dorothy and a box with her friend and our next-door neighbor, Amy. When we moved and didn’t see Amy much, they continued to do two boxes, though. This year, Cathy bought a set of five boxes, because it was convenient to buy them that way. Rather than using two and saving the others for the future, though, she decided to fill all six. Wait, wasn’t it just a five-pack? Yes, but she did six. Just because.

We filled them this afternoon, having to “vacuum pack” the stuffed animal in one in order to get everything into that box, but we made it. This is Cathy, with her six boxes, heading off to deliver them to the local pick-up location. Time to start collecting things for next years boxes.

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Grant Stephen

Grant Stephen

Grant Stephen

He’s nearly a year old and what a year its been. Back on December 6, last year, I posted a picture of week-old Grant’s feet. Now, he’s walking, tentatively and still oh, so cute.

Cathy and I were at the WCA Christmas Bazaar today and more than the bazaar itself, what we really enjoyed was seeing people that we don’t see nearly enough, now that Dorothy has moved on to the next thing. I spent a wonderful half hour or so chatting with Angie and while we were visiting, Grant’s mom, Collyn, arrived. I was given the honor of being allowed to hold and watch Grant while his mom went for some food. He looked a little concerned when mom walked off but a few moments of distraction and he was fine. We had a nice little visit. A shame he won’t remember me, but that’s the way it is. I’ll remember him and I have a few pictures to help (including a couple selfies taken with my SLR, which isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do).

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Hope, Will, and Grace

Hope, Will, and Grace

Hope, Will, and Grace

We had our bi-weekly prayer meeting and Bible study this evening and these three were having fun with the harpsichord at the Brights’ house. Each played singly but when I got out my camera, they gathered and all played together.

As you can see, they are all on the hammier end of the spectrum, mugging for the camera. They actually can play pretty well and I’m looking forward to hearing them play more as they get older and more accomplished.

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Cathy and Luna

Cathy and Luna

Cathy and Luna

We got to have Luna stay at our house for the weekend. Actually, she was only here a little more than 24 hours. Cathy brought her home yesterday and then we took her back to her house this evening. Before we took her back, though, I took a few pictures of her with Cathy. She’s a good dog and quite easy to care for. The sheet on the sofa tells her this is her place to sleep, and she seems to know that quite well.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

Time for a picture of Cathy. Often these are taken when it’s getting late and I haven’t taken any pictures for the day. Still, I’m always glad for an excuse to take her picture and always glad for the pictures I get. Pictures like this generally get more ‘likes’ on Facebook than any other sort, so they are clearly popular with my audience, as well.

Inevitably she will make silly faces for a few and we’ll sometimes try something a little different. This evening, after the faces, I took a few with her turning around quickly, spinning her hair out to the side. This picture happened in between, though. There were three ‘normal’ pictures (I put normal in quotes because silly is the norm, around here).

This one turned out quite well. Thank you, Cathy, for putting up with me all these years.

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She’s Made Her Bed…

She's Made Her Bed, Now She Has to Sleep In It

She’s Made Her Bed, Now She Has to Sleep In It

Cathy planted this bed where there used to be a large northern red oak (Quercus rubra) in the front of our front yard. There is a freeze warning for this evening and although it may not be cold enough for long enough to kill these plants, Cathy wanted a photo of it today, just in case. As it turned out (I’m posting this on Monday), the frost would have done significant damage but would probably not have killed everything. As it was, though, Cathy put a sheet down over the plants both Saturday and Sunday nights and there was no frost under the sheet. So, in this case, Cathy not only made her bed, but she used a bed sheet. She did not, however, sleep in it.

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Abe Lincoln

Abe Lincoln on The U.S. Penny

Abe Lincoln on The U.S. Penny

Kind of random photo today. I had been at the office a little while and noticed a small pile of pennies on my desk. I thought that would be nice as a still life, so got the camera out with my macro lens and took a few pictures. Some had a bit more depth of field (more of the penny in focus) but this is the one I liked the best (taken at f/2.8). They were lit by a combination of a halogen lamp that was directly over them and a flash, bounced off a white card.

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Charlotte and Cathy

Cathy and Charlotte

Cathy and Charlotte

It was nice to be at the WCA Banquet this evening. Without having a child at the school, it is all too easy to lose touch with people we really enjoy, so we were glad to take this opportunity to keep our friendships alive. One person we didn’t particularly expect to see what Charlotte. Her youngest is a senior and was going to a different school but transferred back to WCA, so she was at the banquet. As you can see, the photo of Charlotte and Cathy was fairly expertly photobombed by Charlotte’s husband, Andy.

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Dorothy and Some Friends

Dorothy, Winnie, Amir, Emiko, Debbie, and Carter

Dorothy, Winnie, Amir, Emiko, Debbie, and Carter

We weren’t going to spend a week visiting Dorothy at school and not meet some of her friends. That’s mostly what we did today, hanging out at our hotel and doing a little shopping until the later afternoon. Then we met various groups of Dorothy’s friends. This is one of a few group pictures that I took the help me remember names and put them to faces as Dorothy talks about people she is hanging out or doing things with over the course of the semester. I didn’t get pictures of everyone she talks about, but what I have will be a big help to me. I’m hopeless when it comes to names.

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Iris, Caleb, and Steve

Iris, Caleb, and Steve

Iris, Caleb, and Steve

After the memorial service today, we had the family, including those from out of town (those that were staying in town for the night, anyway) over for dinner. I hadn’t taken any pictures earlier in the day. It simply wasn’t appropriate and the opportunities were fairly slim, anyway. So, I pulled out the camera and took some as everyone chatted, ate, and enjoyed being together. This isn’t a wonderfully posed picture but it does convey the casual nature of the evening.

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In Memoriam – Roberta Huey

Mrs. Huey's Extended Family

Mrs. Huey’s Extended Family

When I was in eighth grade, we had just moved back to the USA after a year abroad. My best friend from childhood had moved away in the meantime, so in some ways it was like moving to a new place. One of the new friends I made was Rob. We were in homeroom together (sorted by last name) and we because very good friends. He lived about a block from the school and I went home with him after school on occasion. Those were good times and Rob’s mom was a big part of that, always welcoming and encouraging. She passed away a week ago and will be missed by her family and friends. I ‘just happened’ to have my camera today, so I was available to take family photos after lunch.

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Montgomery County Fair

Cathy, Addie, Evangeline, Andy, Kellan, Kelly, and Ethan

Cathy, Addie, Evangeline, Andy, Kellan, Kelly, and Ethan

Cathy and I wanted to go to the fair this year and it’s always fun to be at the fair with kids. So, we arranged to meet this young family and spend the late afternoon and evening with them. We got there before they did and that gave us time to check out the photography in the Arts, Crafts, and Photography building (building 3). I had entered four photographs and managed to earn a 2nd and a 4th place ribbon for two of them. Not necessarily all I could have hoped for, but not a bad showing for a first time exhibitor. It was nice to see friends there, as well, and to get a personal tour of the photography exhibit from Sarah.

The Swings

The Swings

We met Andy, Kelly, and their kids after that and spent a while looking at animals before heading down to the carnival portion of the fair. We enjoyed watching them ride on various rids and I took quite a few pictures. They were not actually on the swings when I took this. We tired out before they did and decided to call it a night at about 8:20. They kept going and stayed until about 10:00. We were tired from the heat but glad that we went and we had a really nice time with these lovely kids.

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Tom’s Retirement

Julie, Maureen, Tom, and Shayna

Julie, Maureen, Tom, and Shayna

I want to thank Tom, whose retirement party was today, for taking a risk and hiring me, back in January, 1997. I think it’s worked out pretty well for all involved, including the company, but he was already Cathy’s boss when I applied for the job he had been advertising. Tom was our boss for about five years, directly at first and then with a supervisor between him and us. In 2002 I went to work on project work and haven’t worked for Tom since then, but I won’t forget his bringing me in. I also worked with the other three in this picture, Julie, Maureen, and Shayna, a lot more back then and it was very good to see them. But it was Tom’s day. All the best in your every endeavor.

May the road rise up to meet you.
     May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
     and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
     May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

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Cathy in Her Garden

Cathy in Her Garden

Cathy in Her Garden

Not a joyful day, but a few moments repose in the late morning. Cathy can often be found weeding, either the garden or the lawn (which I think is probably a futile task, but I digress). As you can see, the black-eyed Susans are in full swing. There are some coneflower over Cathy’s shoulder and some Verbena on the far right (and much more of it just out of the frame on the right. The rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is still putting out its pink-purple blooms on the left.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

I took a few pictures around the house this evening. The best of them (by far) is this one of Cathy.

There are a lot of things that could be said about Cathy. How she puts up with me would be high on the list of things that are nice about her. She lets me take my pictures and only rarely complains about it. She lets me take pictures of her, as part of that, which is especially nice. She and Dorothy bath are fairly resigned to it, I guess, but they could fight it, and I appreciate that they do not (usually).

This picture turned out pretty well, I think. A pretty, young thing, my lovely wife.

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Addie!

Addie!

Addie!

We had a somewhat impromptu get together this evening (which as I write this, on July 30, was actually a very long week and a half ago). Our house isn’t necessarily set up for kids these days, with Dorothy having moved on from dolls and toys, but we managed to find things that would entertain the younger folks. This little gem, Addie by name, deserves to have an exclamation mark after her name. She is a bright light wherever she goes and we were terrifically glad that she came with her family.

She is not bashful in the least, while her brother, Jonah, is a little bit shy. I got pictures of him, as well, but they don’t do him justice. I think, however, that we will get along very well and I’m looking forward to getting to know them in the years ahead.

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Hope and Grace2

Hope, Grace, and Charis

Hope, Grace, and Charis

Our church has a longstanding tradition, going back at least a month, that on the first Sunday of each month we have a lunch together before our service, which is at 2:30 in the afternoon. It was such a beautiful day today and being the Fourth of July weekend, we thought a picnic would be appropriate. I took a few pictures and it wasn’t hard to pick this one as my favorite. The girls are Hope, Grace, and Charis (from the Greek χάρις, meaning grace). So, Hope, Grace, and Grace (or Grace2).

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Dorothy and Karlee

Dorothy and Karlee

Dorothy and Karlee

I enjoyed photographing a wedding today so I actually have quite a few photographs that I could post. But I don’t really know the bride and groom, just the groom’s parents, so I decided I would pass on that and post this picture, taken later in the evening. Dorothy and Karlee went up to Frederick for the day today and then when I got home, we went out to IHOP for a late dinner. That’s where this picture was taken. So sad that we won’t have these two girls at the beach with us this year.

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Julia and Bob

Julia and Bob

Julia and Bob

After work today Cathy and I went to a benefit dinner for a non-profit run by some friends. We had a nice meal but more enjoyable still was the company. It’s good to connect with folks that we don’t see often enough and with our recent travel and how busy it’s been at work, it’s been worse than usual. We sat with Bob, Maureen, and Julia, among others, and especially enjoyed Bob and Julia singing for us. The acoustics were not fabulous and there was a bit of noise in the room (you can’t get people to stop talking at an event like this) but they did a great job. I think they are singing “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel.

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Albuquerque Botanical Garden

Sedum Flowers

Sedum Flowers

David was going to pick up his and Cathy’s mom later this morning so Cathy and I had a little free time. We drove to the botanic garden, which is part, along with the zoo, aquarium, and Tingley Beach, of the Albuquerque Biopark. It is a relatively green and lush oasis in the high New Mexico desert, close to the Rio Grande and near the heart of the city. We enjoyed pretty much each of the various gardens and the two conservatories. One of the two conservatories is dedicated to Mediterranean plants and is very lush and wet. One thing they have a lot of there are sedums, of which Cathy is very fond. I particularly like them in bloom and this first photo is of a couple sedum flowers.

Cathy at the Albuquerque Botanical Garden

Cathy at the Albuquerque Botanical Garden

Cathy posed next to a large container of sedum and fern (the sedum is the brownish colored plant). We enjoyed the well established portion of the rose garden. There is a new section that looks like it was only completed this spring and the plants are still quite small but should be very nice in a year or two. The Japanese garden is lovely, although the local, southwest plants predominated, the feel was still appropriate for the name. Wood ducks and a black-crowned night heron were a nice addition.

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

We walked out to the farthest garden area of the park, past Heritage Farm to the Cottonwood Gallery. This is a more natural setting with all native and naturalized plants, predominated by the local cottonwood tree. They were shedding their seeds, which are attached to cottony hairs, giving the trees their common name, and covering the ground with a cottony fur. We saw a cottontail rabbit, as well, and lots of dragon- and damselflies, including this blue damselfly.

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Rio Grande Nature Center

Cathy, Margaret, Darius, and David

Cathy, Margaret, Darius, and David

David took us to the Rio Grande Nature Center this morning, less than ten minutes from where he lives. It was pretty hot out today so we spent a while in the building, enjoying the view out over the pond where there were ducks, turtles, a swan and quite a few smaller birds. Cathy and I walked across the Paseo Del Bosque Trail to the Rio Grande and back, seeing lots of dragonflies, a huge toad, and quite a few lizards. Before we left I took a few pictures of the rest of the group on a bench sitting in the shade of a good size cottonwood tree.

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Lexi Graduates!

Lexi Graduates!

Lexi Graduates!

We’ve known Lexi most of her life. Her mom and Cathy have been friends since high school. We first met Lexi when we visited her family in Germany when she was not yet three years old and when they moved back to the area, we have tried to see them on something resembling a regular basis. We live far enough apart that we haven’t always done as well as we would like, but we’ve managed to stay connected.

Today, Lexi graduated from high school and we were proud to be there with her family to celebrate. As the students filed into the room, they went past the end of our row of seats. She was only in view for a half second as she went by but I managed to get a picture before she continued to the front. I took quite a few pictures during the ceremony and afterward, at their house, but this is my favorite. Congratulations, dear one.

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Brandon and Solomon

Brandon and Solomon

Brandon and Solomon

I happened to send a text last week to our good friend Kristine and it turns out she was going to be in town this week with her son, Brandon. So, we had them over for dinner this evening. I don’t suppose many of you will be at all surprised that I took some pictures, particularly of Brandon. We went out into the back yard and I got pictures of him jumping and doing hand stands, as well as some of him just sitting in the grass. Those turned out pretty well.

Before they left, however, Solomon wanted to come out and get into some pictures. I have a few of Solomon sitting on Kristine’s shoulder but he really wanted to have his picture taken with Brandon. Brandon, on the other hand, was a little less enthusiastic about it, but he reluctantly agreed. Here is one of the pictures that I got of them. I think it’s pretty good, don’t you?

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Kellan and Me

Kellan and Me

Kellan and Me

Before church this afternoon (our gathering is not until 2:30 on Sundays) a bunch of us went to York Castle for ice cream. If you happen to be in the Montgomery College (Rockville) neighborhood on a hot afternoon (or anytime, really), you could make worse choices for a refreshing snack. I went with Caribbean cherry (although I’m not entirely sure how that differs from mainland, North American cherry) and was not disappointed. Cathy had lychee, which is quite different but also very good. A lot of folks played it safe with mango, which is always a sure thing. I was taking pictures and Kellan wasn’t sure he wanted his taken until I suggested we take one together. He smiled for the picture that Abbie took with my camera after this but I’m posing pictures that I took, so that’s what you get. Taking a selfie with an SLR isn’t quite as easy as with a phone, but this one turned out pretty well.

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Cross Community Rockville

Matt, Monica, Pedro, and Jeremiah

Matt, Monica, Pedro, and Jeremiah

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know a bunch of new people in this church plant in which we’ve become involved. Normally meeting and getting to know new people terrifies me, but I’m actually enjoying it. At the same time, I still have moments of terror. You see, I suffer from a serious but somewhat strange malady. I don’t know what it is called or even if it has a name. For all I know it is called “you’re an idiot”. Anyway, I have a hard time with names. Always have. I remember faces pretty well but when it comes to associating names with them, not so much. I’m not talking your normal level of forgetting names. This is serious. Even with someone I know reasonably well, I hesitate to use their name because I’m afraid I’ll get it wrong.

As for this photo, I have only known these folks for a couple months, seeing them at church once a week. It makes me nervous to label the picture with their names. Someone, please correct me (gently) if I got it wrong. Nevertheless, I’m glad to be stretched in this way. This is where I need to be.

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Dorothy

Dorothy

Dorothy

Dorothy is not a big fan of me posting pictures of her here. Still, I can’t exactly not post pictures of her from time to time. She’s my daughter, after all. Today the only pictures I took were of her (plus one of our friend, Julia), so I had little in the way of options.

This is, I think, the best of those pictures from today. It has Dorothy not quite smiling but certainly giving the slightly sardonic expression that we all know so well. Of course, she is also wearing her had “dad style.”

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Off Into the Blue

Dorothy, Cassandra, and James

Dorothy, Cassandra, and James

I had the privilege and the pleasure to drive one of Dorothy’s fellow interns to the airport this afternoon. Many of the interns are taking externships, basically the lab portion of the class after the lecture part that was the last nine months. Dorothy is planning to take hers next summer for scheduling reasons (college, etc.).

Cassandra is the first of the seven interns to actually leave, heading off the day after graduation to Turkey for a week. From there she’ll go to Central Asia for three weeks before settling in to her final destination, where she will be until just before Thanksgiving. So glad to have had a chance to hear about her plans and look forward to hearing about the time she’ll be spending overseas. Bon voyage, Cassandra, and God bless you.

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William and Beth

William and Beth

William and Beth

As mentioned, we were in Manhattan for a wedding. So, here is a picture of Cathy’s brother’s son, William and his lovely bride, Beth. The wedding itself was at the Church of the Transfiguration on 29th Street, a pretty, little, brick church between towering sky scrapers. From there we all rode a bus to the reception, where this photo was taken on the roof of a 21 story building, with the setting sun behind them. Here’s to the bride and groom. Thanks for including us in your day.

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Lexi

Lexi

Lexi

For quite a while now I’ve wanted to get to one of Lexi’s lacrosse games. It’s hard because they are usually early enough in the day that I have to leave work a little early. They are also in Virginia, making traffic a real issue. When she told me that her last high school game would be today, I decided I’d do what it took to get there. The fact that there was a significant rain delay helped me get there before the game started, even though it was about 35 miles out interstate 66 in Virginia. The game went better then expected and Lexi scored (I think) 9 of the team’s 13 goals in their 13 to 12 victory. Of course, winning meant that this wasn’t their last game, but that’s the way these things work. In any case I had a great time and got a few half decent photos, including this one.

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Men’s Camping Trip, Day 2

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I went camping with some of the guys from church. When Ben (our pastor) suggested a camping trip, I mentioned that our family owns some property in Pennsylvania and it might be a good place to go. While talking about the place, I mentioned something about my niece planning to have her wedding there next year and that there was some work that needed to be done. He thought it would be great to have the guys do a bit of bush whacking. We cleared the brush growing on the inside slope of the dam around the pond as far as the overflow pipe (about half way around).

Bee Fly on Bluet

Bee Fly on Bluet

I didn’t work as hard as some of the younger guys (or as hard as the one guy there who is older than me, for that matter). Mostly I dragged the cut brush down the dam and into the woods. I also took a few breaks to take pictures, both of the guys working and of the flowers growing on the dam. While I was photographing the bluets in the first picture here, a small insect came to visit them. At first I thought it was something related to the sphinx moths but after doing a little searching I believe instead that it is a bee fly (Family Bombyliidae). Anyway, pretty neat.

Your Host

Your Host

After the work on the dam, cutting brush including trees with trunks up to about three inches in diameter, we did a bit of shooting. We had in our number a former county police officer as well as a few gun enthusiasts. We had a gun safety talk and then we shot the heck out of a few targets. I’m happy to say that no one was hurt, although the ground behind the targets was a bit torn up. The photo I have posted here of yours truly was taken by Joel, one of my fellow campers (thanks, Joel!). Yes, that’s one of the hated (and also much loved) AR-15s you hear so much about. I found it to be quite easily handled, much lighter and less kick than my .35 Remington, which has a significantly larger cartridge. In addition to the rifle, I also fired three handguns, a Glock .40 caliber a Glock 9mm and a Ruger .22 long. I quite enjoyed myself. Our neighbors (about a half mile away) came to see what the fuss was all about, but once they saw it was nothing untoward and it was me, not some local kids, they left us in peace (or whatever, but this clearly isn’t Maryland).

Rib Roast, Cooked on a Spit

Rib Roast, Cooked on a Spit

While the shooting was going on, there was some serious meat being cooked over the fire. David had brought two boneless rib roasts, which he put on a spit and wrapped with bacon. They cooked for about two hours and where between medium rare and medium when they were taken off. I have to say that while there are not many pieces of meat that I don’t enjoy, a good piece of rib cooked over an open fire is about as good as it gets. This meat was about as close to perfection as you are likely to find.

Ethan's Fish Story

Ethan’s Fish Story

When the shooting, with its significant noise, was finished and our delicious lunch was consumed, some folks packed up for the day and headed home. It was early enough, though, and Andy and his son wanted to do a little more fishing. So, those who were still there spent a much quieter hour or so pulling bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) out of the pond. I think their chances of catching bass would have been increased with spinners rather than worms but I don’t think it made much difference to Ethan. What he caught was much less important than that he caught something. We weren’t catching breakfast, so the fact that everything was too small to eat didn’t matter. Also, the guns and their noise had made him a little nervous but the time we spent fishing in the quiet, afternoon sun was just the thing to help him relax again. I have to admit that even though I enjoyed the shooting and would do it again, I’m more likely to head out with a rod and reel for some solitude.

All in all, it was a great time. I haven’t known any of these guys for more than about five months and this weekend helped me to get to know them and them me. We need to do this again.

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Men’s Camping Trip

Ben, Ben, and Marc

Ben, Ben, and Marc

Some of the men from Cross Community Church went camping, up at my family’s place in Pennsylvania. We had a nice time around the fire on Friday night after a great dinner of burgers and hot dogs. Of the ten people there that evening, there were four Bens (although one of them goes by Will). Two of them are in this picture, Ben and Ben on the left, with Marc on the right. We stayed up talking until about midnight. What a way to spend a cool, spring Friday evening. It doesn’t get much better.

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Cathy In The Back Garden

Cathy In The Back Garden

Cathy In The Back Garden

Cathy asked for some pictures of the flowers in our back yard today so I took some with her in them. The large shrub behind Cathy is a largish, white spiraea. I cut it back fairly hard every year after it blooms but it grows fairly vigorously.

On the ground behind her is pale blue forget-me-not (Myosotis sp.). It’s a relatively short lived perennial but it self-seeds so we’ve had them for a good while. They move about a bit, as the seeds grow near where the parent plants were but eventually the parents die and the whole patch has shifted.

Between Cathy and the tree is a spindly azalea that hasn’t started blooming yet. Just in front of Cathy there is a bed of periwinkle (Vinca minor) that is scattered with more pale blue flowers. In front of that is an area of lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis), which is coming up but not yet blooming. Amid that there are white and purple hyacinths.

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Kristin, Porter, and Peter

Kristin, Porter, and Peter

Kristin, Porter, and Peter

After two days were I posted pictures touting the Washington Christian Academy play, I hesitated to post a third. On the other hand, I took over 1,000 more photos today before and during the two performances and I didn’t have a lot of time for much other photography. I took a few of the baseball and softball teams loading mulch in their annual mulch sale but the bulk of the day was spent at the Olney Theatre.

This picture was the last one I took at the theatre before heading to the cast party (to take more pictures, of course). It is of our good friends, Kristin, Porter, and Peter. Porter, a senior, has been a part of the theatre program at WCA throughout high school and will be sorely missed next year. His parents are justly proud.

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WCA King’s Players

Washington Christian Academy King's Players

Washington Christian Academy King’s Players

Do you know any of these folks? If so, you really should come out and see them perform Kurt Vonnegut’s Welcome to the Monkey House tomorrow (Saturday). There are shows at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. and tickets will be available at the door.

Are you a fan of Vonnegut? I’m not sure that I am but that’s partly, I think, because I had to read some of his work in school. I know having to read something is supposed to get you over the reluctance to read it so that you are free to discover that you like it after all. For some it may have the opposite effect. It isn’t an insurmountable obstacle and I have come to appreciate Vonnegut but it takes more effort than with something I chose to read on my own.

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Welcome to the Monkey House

WCA King's Players present, "Welcome to the Monkey House"

WCA King’s Players present, “Welcome to the Monkey House”

If you don’t have any plans either this evening at 8:00, tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 or tomorrow evening at 7:00, consider coming out to the Olney Theatre for the Washington Christian Academy King’s Players presentation of Kurt Vonnegut’s short stories (dramatized by Christopher Sergel), Welcome to the Monkey House.

I was here taking pictures at the dress rehearsal yesterday and really enjoyed myself. It’s a little bit funny and a little bit social commentary. Overall, it’s an evening of thought provoking entertainment, wonderfully provided by some very talented youngsters.

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In Memoriam, Harold G. Rohrer

In Memoriam, Harold G. Rohrer

In Memoriam, Harold G. Rohrer

I didn’t really know Mr. Rohrer but I know one of his daughters and her family, including three of his eleven grandchildren, quite well. Today and today’s photograph is dedicated to the memory of this man. He and my dad were almost exactly the same age when they died (withing three days!) and he died on my dad’s birthday (as I mentioned on last Thursday’s post about my dad). I only met him a handful of times and I’m sorry that I cannot write anything nearly as beautiful as Ellen (one of those granddaughters) did on Instagram and Facebook, but I thought it fitting to pay tribute, anyway. To all who have lost fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, children, or grandparents, I mourn with you.

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Susan and Joel

Susan and Joel

Susan and Joel

We celebrated a birthday with some new friends today. This is Susan, whose birthday it was, and Joel (sorry, I don’t know when his birthday is), and Ralda is photobombing on the left. It’s been great to get to know these folks and we look forward to getting to know everyone better going forward. Susan said she doesn’t like pictures of herself, but I hope she won’t mind this one. I think it turned out rather well.

What a beautiful afternoon it was. Windy and cool but nice and warm in the sun.

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Tomi, Valerie, and Mary

Tomi, Valerie, and Mary

Tomi, Valerie, and Mary

We have some friends who work with international students at a medical school in Romania. We were fortunate enough to have Erin as Dorothy’s first grade teacher. For about seven years now, she and her husband, David, have lived and worked in Romania and their four children have lived more of their lives there than here. We got to visit with them briefly this evening at an open house and this is one of the photos I took. Two of these young women were students at the med school and are now living in this area. I don’t actually know them, except as friends of Dave and Erin, but I do like the picture, don’t you?

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Happy Birthday, Dad

Bob at the Grand Canyon, 1974

Bob at the Grand Canyon, 1974

Dad would have been 88 today. This isn’t a photo taken today, obviously, and I do have a photo taken today to post a little later. This was taken by my mom in the summer of 1974, when we all hiked down the Grand Canyon. That was a pretty nice trip. In addition to the Grand Canyon, we did some hiking at Devil’s Postpile National Monument in northern California and spent some time on Spruce Mountain in northeastern Nevada.

I think about dad quite a bit but especially on dates like his birthday. Mom sent this photo around along with a few others from that trip. This year, I got an extra dose of thinking about dad because I got a text this morning from a good friend saying that his wife’s father had passed away this morning. This is not a club I look forward to welcoming anyone into, but it’s a place where we all get, eventually.

Dad, here’s to you.

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Sunrise Easter Service

Sunrise Easter Service

Sunrise Easter Service

One of our favorite aspects of the celebration of Easter is the sunrise service at Fourth Presbyterian Church. For a long time Rock Creek didn’t have a sunrise service and in general doesn’t make as big a deal of Easter as some churches (and hardly mentions Palm Sunday at all). So, we go to the church where we met, and where Cathy’s mom still goes. Dorothy knows quite a few folks there, as well, having participated in their youth group quite a bit over the years.

Last year I set my alarm clock to the wrong time and we only got there as the service was almost over. Previous years we got it right and this year I got it right, again. It was a chilly 40°F this morning, which is cool but not really bitter and certainly not as cold as it has been in some previous years.

I only took a few pictures. It is a church service, after all. In the first few the sky is nearly black. A little later it was the most beautiful, luminous blue. This is one of the early pictures.

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Monuments, by Brian Menkis

Monuments, by Brian Menkis

Monuments, by Brian Menkis

After what can only be described as a terrible drive down the beautiful I-95 corridor between D.C. and Richmond, Virginia, we had a very nice evening at the gallery where Dorothy has been working. Our friend Brian (son of friends Sid and Sherri) had a show at Gallery Edit in Richmond, mostly sculpture but there was one large painting in the collection. I took pictures of individual pieces when the gallery wasn’t filled with people but there were not a lot of times that was possible. He had a pretty good flow of folks throughout the evening. That’s Brian facing the camera in this photo. His web site is here: http://brianmenkis.com/

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Bonfire

Sokho, Nick, Jeffrey, Anna, Katie, Lucia, and Timmy

Sokho, Nick, Jeffrey, Anna, Katie, Lucia, and Timmy

As mentioned in the previous photo, the youth retreat was this weekend and I came up today, joining the group already there. It was a smallish group this time, due to various conflicts that others had. We missed those who could not be there but had a great time with those who came. It was fairly chilly so we all sat pretty close to the fire Friday evening, roasting marshmallows and talking and basically having a good time. It had rained early in the day and was cloudy most of the day but it cleared up about the time this was taken. I even got a pretty decent photo of the Big Dipper a little later.

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Photo 100,000!

Cathy

Cathy

A bit of a milestone was reached today. I’ve had my current camera, a Canon EOS 60D, since Christmas, 2010. Then, a week later I started my Project 365 and have taken at least one photograph every day since then. In the 1,552 days I’ve had this camera, I’ve taken photographs all but two of them (December 26 and 27, 2010). Today, I took the 100,000th photograph with this camera (although the image number is 100,010 because the camera resets to image number 1 instead of to 0 (zero) after 9,999). In case anyone cares, that’s an average of 64.4 images per day. My previous camera, a Canon 10D, was at 87,376 images when I got this new camera. I had owned that one for 2,823 days, averaging only 31 images per day (and not taking any on a lot of those days).

Cathy and Dorothy have, not surprisingly, been common subjects for my photography and Cathy let me take a few of her this evening to reach the 100,000 point.

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Returning from Asia

Hannah, Susie, Lynn, Dorothy, Ginny, Cassandra, Kaitlyn, and Katy in front.

Hannah, Susie, Lynn, Dorothy, Ginny, Cassandra, Kaitlyn, and Katy in front.

I’m behind in posting this but on Sunday we went to pick up Dorothy at Dulles Airport on her return from Asia. They were a while getting through customs and all but finally they walked out into the airport lobby. She (and I presume the entire team) had a great time and we were happy to get a chance to hear her stories and visit with her for a little more than a day before she had to return to Richmond. They were all pretty tired and glad to be back on the ground again. In the photo, we have (from left to right) Hannah, Susie, Lynn, Dorothy, Ginny, Cassandra, Kaitlyn, and Katy in front.

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Erin and David

Erin and David

Erin and David

This morning we had a wonderful, if altogether too short visit from our dear friends, Erin and David, along with their beautiful children. They wanted some family photos and came over for a short photo shoot. We started with some family shots, with all of them on the sofa, then a few of Erin and Dave (this is one of those, in case you’re having trouble figuring it out). We also took individual portraits of each of the family members and I’m happy to say that there is at least one pretty good picture of each of them. Thanks for coming, guys, and we hope to see you again, soon.

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Walkin’ In A Winter Wonderland

Cathy In The Snow

Cathy In The Snow

I don’t think anyone will be surprised that I’m posting pictures of snow today. The forecast was pretty accurate, with the snow starting to fall at about 7:00 a.m. and coming down pretty steadily until the late evening. In all we had about seven and a half inches of new snow, piling up on top of about five inches that was already on the ground and covered with a layer of ice.

Early in the afternoon Cathy and I walked to the grocery store. On the way, I took a few pictures of her with the gently falling snow swirling all around. She also took a couple snaps of me, but I’ll spare you those. Actually, in them I am wearing the same jacket and hat as in the picture on the Who I Am page. That photo was also taken during a snow storm, although it was from quite twelve years ago, on February 16, 2003. I really suppose I should have a more recent picture of myself. I’ll get on that.

Norbeck Road

Norbeck Road

The second photo here is of Norbeck Road with the snow coming down. It was falling quite steadily but the wind was not terribly strong. Walking home it was blowing into our faces, though, which did make the return trip a bit more taxing. We were gone about an hour and enjoyed being out. It was nice, though, to have a warm, dry home to come back to.

We truly are blessed.

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New (and Legal) Driver

Dorothy and Her Driver's License

Dorothy and Her Driver’s License

As mentioned in the previous post, also for March 3, Dorothy and I drove up to Frederick today. The purpose of the trip was for Dorothy to take her driving test for her license. We went early so that she could practice backing into a parking space for a bit. Also, we borrowed her Uncle Albert’s car, which is smaller than ours and made things much easier for her. She wanted time getting use to that car, as well, of course.

We still had time after she got to the point she was pretty confident, so we went into town, went into an antique shop and had time for a nice lunch at Cafe Nola. While walking in the downtown are it was sleeting but at the time she had her actual road test, it had stopped so she didn’t have that to contend with, anyway. Also, we saw a bald eagle a little earlier, and we took that to be a good omen.

I’m happy to say that she passed, and is now a legal driver. Congratulations, Dorothy

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Cathy and Erin

Cathy and Erin

Cathy and Erin

I’ve posted a few pictures from the church plant that we’ve become involved in. This week, despite the somewhat lousy weather (or icy weather, anyway, trying to put a more optimistic spin on it), we met this afternoon. We even had a pretty good turnout, all things considered (and why anyone would make a judgment without considering all things is beyond me). As usual, I took a few pictures and I like this one the best. Most of you will recognize Cathy, of course. This is Erin that she is with.

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Bob Prentiss and Family

Bob Prentiss with Family and Friends

Bob Prentiss with Family and Friends

For many years Bob Prentiss said that he’d get baptized when hell freezes over. How prophetic. Today, at the 4:30 Saturday afternoon service at Mosaic (a.k.a. “a church for people who don’t go to church”), with between six and eight inches of snow on the ground and with roads poorly cleared at best, Bob was baptized.

There were people who could not get there because of the snow—we left home a little before noon and it was slow going—but it was going to take more than a bit of snow to keep us away. This picture is from after the service. From left to right: Cathy, Dorothy, Kadie, Stephen, Maureen, Bob, Julia, Heart, Heather (holding Heart’s baby daughter, Emma), and Carl (the pastor at Mosaic).

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Pearls Before Swine

Pearls Before Swine

Pearls Before Swine

Dorothy was home for the weekend with her friend, Katy (see the picture from last night). They wanted to go visit Rocklands Farm so we headed out there late in the morning. We had a great time with Janis who walked out to see the chickens, pigs, and cows. These, obviously, are the pigs. It was also wonderful to see Erin and her kids and get a bit of a visit in before we had to run. Thanks, Erin and Janis for being so willing to put up with us showing up unannounced and unplanned and welcoming us so warmly.

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Katy, Dorothy, and Cathy

Katy, Dorothy, and Cathy

Katy, Dorothy, and Cathy

Dorothy and one of her new friends from Richmond came up for the weekend. It was a pretty hectic time but we really enjoyed having them here. We saw David and Darius again this evening but Darius was not feeling well so I didn’t take any pictures of them.

After they left I took a few pictures of Dorothy and Katy. Cathy asked if she could get in the picture and this is the result.

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Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great

Although you may be thinking that this is what I call Cathy when I’m trying to get her to forgive me for something I’ve done, I’m actually referring to “the” Catherine the Great of Russia (2 May 1729 – 17 November 1796), who rules Russia from 1762 until her death.

I have a small (and not terribly valuable) collection of stamps and paper money from around the world. This is a detail of one of my favorite bills, a 100 ruble note from 1910, portraying Catherine the Great.

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Darius

Darius

Darius

Because they live so far away we don’t get to see some of Cathy’s siblings nearly often enough. Although for one reason or another they could not be here for Christmas, David came this week for a visit. As nice as it was to see him, we were particularly excited to see our youngest nephew, Darius.

This evening we went out for dinner and the corner booth we sat in was ideal in that he could run back and forth between two adults and not really bother anyone else in the restaurant. He moved to a high chair to eat but then was back where he could plan after finishing. I’m especially glad we got to see him in such a good mood because he came down with a bad cold after this and was not nearly so animated the rest of their visit.

This is one of a handful of pictures that I think are pretty good, though.

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Gallery Edit

Gallery Edit

Gallery Edit

A third photo from today and I’ll call it quits. After wandering around Carytown for a while, we returned to Gallery Edit and the Hillside offices. James was there sitting in the front of the gallery playing the guitar. Dorothy, Kendra, and Michaela joined him there and I took some pictures. I really liked the quality of the light from the afternoon sun pouring into the big window. I also took a few more pictures of Dorothy’s art work, which should be up through the end of the month or so. If you happen to be in Richmond, give her a call and stop in to see it.

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Holding Up A Wall

Dorothy Holding Up a Wall

Dorothy Holding Up a Wall

I know I’ve already posted a photo for today but I thought I’d post another. After our early lunch at the Sub Rosa Bakery we drove to Carytown. Parking was an issue, as it was a beautiful, Saturday afternoon and all of Richmond seemed to be out and about. We did finally find parking on Ellwood Avenue and walked the block over to Cary Street.

We didn’t have any real plans, but went into a few shops, including one called Bygones, which specializes in vintage clothing and accessories. They had some very nice things, if you are into that sort of thing. I don’t get dressed up often, so I don’t suppose it would make sense looking for things for myself. I did like two of the hats they had, a top hat and a bowler, but decided I’d pass this time.

On the way back to the car, I photographed Dorothy in this alley alongside a brick wall (which I supposed is obvious).

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Sub Rosa Bakery

Margaret, Dorothy, Kendra, and Michaela

Margaret, Dorothy, Kendra, and Michaela

We had an early lunch this morning (or was it a very late breakfast?). We had planned to go to The Roosevelt on Church Hill. We met our friends, Rob and Susie there but it isn’t open Saturday morning. So, we found another place, called the Sub Rosa Bakery, which is just across the street. It’s a fairly small place but they were very accommodating of our large group. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend Sub Rosa. Here we have four of our group of nine. Margaret, Dorothy, Kendra, and Michaela.

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Dorothy’s Art Show

Dorothy's Art Show

Dorothy’s Art Show

We’ve been looking forward to this evening for a long time. Dorothy scheduled an art exhibit at Gallery Edit in Richmond, Virginia. Her theme was “home” but I’ll let you ask her for more details of that, if you are interested. Along with both of her grandmas, we drove down for the evening. Two other long-time friends, Rob and Susie, also came, which was wonderful. A few of Dorothy’s young friends showed up, as well. But even without the “home team crowd” there was good traffic through the gallery all evening.

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Angie

Angie

Angie

We’re quite fond of our school. Of course, it isn’t technically our school any more, in the sense that we don’t have a child attending. In another way, though, it still is our school. It’s a non-profit owned by a society of parents and friends of the school and we are happy to remain members of the society. This evening was the winter society meeting, having been postponed from last week due to snow.

We like many things about the school but high on the list has to be the people. Both parents, faculty, and staff. We enjoy seeing them when we can and this was a good opportunity. It was also good to get caught up on all the doings, as there are some doings right now. But for me, connecting with people is still very high on my list. This is Angie, my favorite kindergarten teacher. She isn’t teaching this year but is still working part time. She is planning to have me come in to do a quick walk-through of the solar system with the fifth grade. It’s also almost time for Mr. Lincoln to visit the kindergarten. So good to see her and hear how life is treating her (pretty well).

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Maleficent Visits School

Maleficent

Maleficent

I went to the school this morning to take a few pictures of the fourth grade class. The yearbook folks wanted some candid shots of the students for the yearbook. They have been practicing a short play for History Night and we spent a little while in Founder’s Hall while they ran through that.

While we were there, the students from one of the other grades walked through, following this somewhat evil looking woman. Not being an expert on the Disney bestiary I was not entirely sure who she is. I got a quick photo of her and later, after consulting Peterson’s Field Guide to Mythical Creatures of This and Other Worlds I decided she must be Maleficent, the self-proclaimed Mistress of All Evil who cursed the Princess Aurora. Do you remember her? She pricked her finger on a spindle. She would have died had it not been for the aid of Merryweather, who was able to soften the curse. Instead she slept until a kiss from her true love woke her.

Anyway, it was quite an surprising creature to see at school and I’m not entirely sure what she would have been doing there. Someone said something about spirit week and I suppose she came for the festivities or perhaps to do something wicked while blending in with the students dressed in costumes.

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Navigating A Mine Field

Navigating A Mine Field

Navigating A Mine Field

At our youth group meeting this evening we had a team-building exercise. Teams of two people had to navigate through a mine field. One of the two was blindfolded, the other had to give verbal instructions to get them through. Of course, the “mines” were just paper cups, and just as well. Some made it, others were not so lucky. After most of the kids had participated, two pairs of adults gave it a try. The last to go was Bob, who was led through the course by Sokho. The kids rearranged the cups between each run and they decided to put a lot, close together at the beginning of the course.

There were not many spaces where his feet could fit, so Sokho had Bob inch up to the cups and then instructed him to jump three feet, landing with his feet about two feet apart. As it turns out he landed a bit short of the open space Sokho was aiming for, but, as you can see in this picture, he landed quite amazingly between the cups. Actually, his left foot grazed a cup and it slid about an inch from his foot. That’s what Shelly is pointing at. Still, it was quite remarkable.

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Abbie and Jack

Abbie and Jack

Abbie and Jack

We’ve met quite a few new people lately and these two have been a bit part of it. Jack, on the right, was in Dorothy’s class in middle and high school. As it happens, he is dating Abbie, on the left. Through Jack, Dorothy and Abbie met and became quite good friends. Through Dorothy, of course, we met Abbie and after a while, her parents. Finally (well, so far) we have met many of those involved, in one way or another, in a church planting effort that Abbie’s dad is working on. I can’t really say he’s in charge, because too many things outside his control have come together in just the right way. We certainly don’t know where it is leading or what our small role might be, but it’s interesting and a little exciting to be a part of it.

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Seth and Bean

Seth and Bean

Seth and Bean

One problem with this whole ‘take and post a picture every day’ thing is that sometimes I take pictures but either none of them are any good or I take pictures of family or friends and don’t necessarily want to share them with the world. So, what do I do. Usually I post one anyway. Certainly there have been plenty of bad pictures posted. I’m sometimes a bit surprised by the responses to images that I don’t particularly think are any good. That’s gratifying, if a bit mystifying.

This isn’t one of those. This is more of the ‘I spent the evening with family and those are all the pictures I have’ type. I think it’s a pretty good picture, actually, as casual portraits go. This is Seth and because he is engaged to Iris, I guess he’s going to have to get used to the cameras in our family (and already seems to have, actually). He is holding their pet, Bean, whom they claim is a dog.

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Julia and Cathy

Julia and Cathy

Julia and Cathy

Yesterday and again this evening we had our young friend Julia over to help me do some organizing in our basement. Quite a while back we had work done in our basement that required we move everything away from the walls. If you have an unfinished basement then you know that usually the idea is to have everything against the walls, so that basically meant everything had to move. Because it’s an unfinished basement and we don’t spend much time down there, we haven’t put a lot of effort into getting it back to the way it was. Well, that was our task for the last two evenings. It’s not completely done but much better than it was. Of course, it was terrific to have Julia over and after working and having dinner, we all had a good time visiting. Both evenings I took a few silly pictures. This is actually the least silly of them all.

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Lucia

Lucia

Lucia

After a little over a month off, our youth group started meeting again this evening. I’ve seen most folks in the interim but not nearly as often and it was good to be back together. Naturally I took a few pictures. Now that I’m not leading the time, I have a bit more freedom to take pictures. It’s nice to be able to simply show up and go with whatever has been planned. This is Lucia, one of our middle-school girls and a rising star (not to mention being terrifically photogenic).

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Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait

We live in the age of the ‘selfie’ and I’m not sure that’s a good thing. Oh, I suppose it’s mostly harmless but it does have a strongly narcissistic feel. I’m not a big selfie taker but even in the days of Leonardo, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh, self-portraits were a thing. So, once in a while, I think.

Anyway, I happened to see a portrait of this type and thought I’d give it a try. I’m not sure how well I like the results—my face doesn’t lend itself to it as well as some I’ve seen—but it’s interesting, anyway. Is it a front view or a profile? It’s both, and therein lies the interest.

So, what do you think?

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Dorothy Back to Richmond

Dorothy

Dorothy

It’s been a nice two weeks with Dorothy but she had to return to Richmond today. Before driving her down we hung out with some new friends who are friends of friends of Dorothy’s. I brought my camera and took quite a few pictures but thought I’d share this one of Dorothy instead of any of our new friends. I suspect there will be more opportunities for sharing pictures of the others in the future.

I like this picture. It’s Dorothy between laughing and being thoughtful about something. There’s a slight grin, which is always the sign something is going on, but she’s being subtle about it. There’s something on her mind and there may be a joke coming.

Or maybe she’s about to burp. You never really can tell with Dorothy.

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Stef and Austin

Austin and Stephanie

Austin and Stephanie

I guess I know I’ve been working with youth a while when they start getting married. I guess is hasn’t really been that long, Stephanie was a graduating high school senior when I helped with my first youth trip at Rock Creek Church. But this isn’t really about me, it’s about her. After all, she was married today.

Stephanie met Austin in her first year at college and it was pretty clear pretty quickly that the were pretty well taken with each other. Knowing Stephanie, I couldn’t really blame Austin, and getting to know him a bit over the intervening time has convinced me he’s a pretty decent chap, as well. They are obviously in love and seem to be very well suited to each other. As everyone expected, Stephanie was a beautiful bride and we had a lovely time, seeing her and visiting with friends.

Here’s to Austin and Stephanie. May you love each other more and more, every day of your lives.

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Dorothy, Cathy, Jonathan, and Amy

Dorothy, Cathy, Jonathan, and Amy

Dorothy, Cathy, Jonathan, and Amy

I’ve completed four years of living photographically. Well, as many of you know, I took pictures before I began my Project 365 in 2011, but since then I have managed to take at least one picture every day. Here’s to one more year.

We had some very good friends over today to ring in the new year with a very relaxed meal of fondue (both meat and cheese). The food was fine but the company was beyond compare. First and foremost were our friends, Amy and her older son, Jonathan. Thank you both for coming and brightening our day.

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Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

We were a bit tired from our trip downtown today but we went to two New Year’s Eve parties this evening. Naturally we could only be at one of them at the stroke of midnight.

We started the evening at my mom’s and stayed there until about 10:00 p.m. Then we went to the Rock Creek party at Stuart and Donna’s house. This photo was taken about four seconds before midnight, the last photo I took in 2014. Happy New Year, everyone!

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Dorothy and Karlee At The Capitol

Dorothy and Karlee At The U.S. Capitol

Dorothy and Karlee At The U.S. Capitol

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, Karlee came over and today I took Dorothy and her downtown for our annual museum trip. We parked near the National Archives and because neither of them had been there before, we went in (after a brief stop for coffee). In addition to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, we saw a copy of Magna Carta from 1297.

From the Archives we went to the National Gallery of Art, one of my favorite places in Washington. We enjoyed sculpture and paintings from various periods and of various styles, stopping for a while in the rotunda, which Dorothy describes as her favorite room in the United States. It somehow manages to be grand and at the same time human-sized.

We left the art museum and headed around the U.S. Capitol building, stopping for this picture of Dorothy and Karlee in front of the Capitol Reflecting Pool and the Capitol Building, the dome of which is being renovated through the end of 2015 (and into the next on the interior).

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Karlee Visits

Dorothy, Karlee, and Cathy

Dorothy, Karlee, and Cathy

The year we first met Karlee, I took Dorothy and her downtown over Christmas break. We went ice skating on the Mall and went to a few museums. It hasn’t been as regular as her coming to the beach with us but we’ve taken Christmas-break trips downtown a bunch of times since then. She came this afternoon to spend the night here and we have an outing planned for tomorrow (which I’ll get to in tomorrow’s post). Here she is with Dorothy and Cathy. As you can see, we are always totally serious when Karlee comes to visit.

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Four Years Of Photos

Rock Creek Worship Team

Rock Creek Worship Team

Since Wednesday, December 29, 2010, I have taken at least one photograph every day. That means I’ve completed four years doing that. I started posting them on Facebook on January 1, 2011 and then started this blog at the beginning of 2012, but the last three days of 2010 have pictures, as well. I really need to go back and add those pictures to this site so they are all together, but whether they are here or not, they exist. That’s 1,461 consecutive days of taking pictures. I don’t have any inclination to stop and I hope enough people enjoy them that it’s worth my time to continue.

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On A Park Bench

Cathy On A Park Bench

Cathy On A Park Bench

Cathy and I went for a walk in the park early this afternoon. It was cool out but not cold and it was nice to be outside. The park, surrounding Lake Frank, had two parking lots connected by roads but the roads have been closed off for quite a few years (if they were ever open, I don’t really know). At the western parking lot, which is up a long hill from the lake, there are benches that are nearly at ground level. That’s where this picture was taken. I don’t think they were originally so low to the ground but it isn’t clear if they have sunk or if the ground has been piled up under them. Either way, they deserve to be used once in a while.

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Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve by Candlelight

Christmas Eve by Candlelight

Our church’s Christmas Eve service is one of the highlights of every year for me. I enjoy seeing friends, but of course I see most of these same people every week. Somehow, though, at Christmas Eve, I see things in a different light. Sometimes that’s the light of candles. Each year the service ends singing Silent Night while holding lit candles. Every year I take pictures and I always enjoy them, as well. Taking pictures by candlelight is a bit hit or miss. This was taken at 1/15 second at f/3.2 with the ISO set to 1600. To everyone who was there, thanks for putting up with me and my camera. I love you all.

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Actual Coworkers

Jane and Katie

Jane and Katie

Our office holiday party was this afternoon and we had a nice time together. Our group is fairly large and I only know a small fraction of the 150 or more people at the party. One funny thing that happened was Jane, on the left in this picture, came over and asked if she could have her picture taken (on her phone) with a few of us. It seems her kids know her coworkers’ names but aren’t entirely convinced they exist. After all, they only hear names and never actually meet anyone. So, to Jane’s children, here is your mom with Katie. I can assure you that Kasia, Kathy, KC, and Henry (that’s me) are all real people, as well.

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Christmas Caroling

Christmas Caroling

Christmas Caroling

We had our third annual Christmas caroling outing this evening. It was cool out, somewhere around 35°F, but the wind which had been blowing earlier in the day had died down, thankfully. I checked my journal and last year it was around 30°F and the year before that in the mid 40s. We had 23 people this year, down three from last year but a few new folks came. Once again, we rode in a trailer behind a pickup truck, fitted out with Timmy on the drums, Amanda at the keyboard, Deb on Bass, and Bret on guitar. We had a good time but I think everyone was ready to get back to the church for hot chocolate and cookies by the time we were done.

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Grant Stephen

Grant Stephen

Grant Stephen

We were out and about today and decided to see if we could visit our friends, Keith and Collyn and their one week old bundle of boy (I mean joy). As you will probably have guessed, they said we should come. Not being around newborn babies that often these days, I forgot how small they are. Collyn was good enough to let us hold him for a while. He’s a beautiful little boy and was quiet while we were there. I took more than just a few pictures, as you might imagine but I think this is my favorite, with Keith tickling his tiny feet. Congratulations to the happy parents and their newly enlarged family.

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Sir Harvey of Schmidlapp

Wearing Armor

Wearing Armor

I’m not a big selfie-taker but I thought you might enjoy this. I visited the fourth grade class at WCA today, wearing mail and a knight’s helmet. The fourth grade studies medieval Europe and their teacher and I thought they would enjoy seeing real armor. The chain mail is actually pretty fine and was made for protecting divers from small sharks. It’s close enough for this purpose, though. The helmet, which is quite heavy, is more authentic and is pretty impressive. I don’t think I’d visit a fourth grade class without that sort of protection.

In addition to talking about knights and armor, I showed pictures of castles and told them about many of the design features. Most of the pictures were of English castles, because I know those so much better than those from France or the rest of Europe but there were a few in Germany and Hungary included. I think the kids enjoyed it and learned something. I know I had a good time.

Many thanks to Steve for letting me borrow his armor for this.

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WCA Play Auditions

Emily, Becky, Dorothy, Michelle, and Lauren

Emily, Becky, Dorothy, Michelle, and Lauren

Want to do something that will make you gray before your time? Try directing a high school play. It starts early, with the auditions. There is never the perfect cast for a play, especially when you are at a smallish school with fewer actors and potential actors than you need. It’s made worse by the competition with sports, which pulls some of the most promising out of contention. Then, oddly enough, the students have their own ideas about which part they should have, often without regard to whether they really could pull it off. As you can see, Becky (second from the left) is already starting to feel it, and the auditions had only just started. It’s going to be a long time until April.

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Thanksgiving Feast

The Family At The Groaning Board

The Family At The Groaning Board

We gathered with family for Thanksgiving today. Thanksgiving is more than just a meal, of course, but the meal is certainly a part of the day. We did take a more traditional family picture, with everyone in nice, neat lines, but I thought I’d post this one, showing us ready to being the meal. I won’t bother to list everything we ate, but suffice it to say, there was plenty. We are truly blessed. But more than the food, of course, it was wonderful to be with family.

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Operation Christmas Child

Cathy with Operation Christmas Child Boxes

Cathy with Operation Christmas Child Boxes

Operation Christmas Child is one of Cathy’s favorite things of the season. We aren’t terribly good at planning way ahead but in this, she does a pretty good job. She shops at back-to-school time for pencils and crayons. Sometimes as early as January or February she will see something and say, “Operation Christmas Child” as she buys it.

A couple years we loaded boxes into our van from the school, filling the back of the van with the seats removed, delivering them to a local collection point. She is going to an OCC facility this week to volunteer. I can’t say exactly what she will do, because she hasn’t done that before. We’ve helped at a collection point but this will be the next step along the process.

This picture is of Cathy (obviously) with her two boxes for the year, as she dropped them off at Redland Baptist Church.

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Jared and Justin

Jared and Justin

Jared and Justin

Do you know Jared and Justin? They are sons number three and four of five (and children four and five of six) of Carey and Marilyn. If you have known Carey for any length of time, you have probably seen this look (on Jared, on the left). I knew that Jared looked more like his father than any of his siblings but I didn’t realize until I saw this exactly how much he looked like him, not just in looks but in manner. It’s a bit uncanny.

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Cathy and Jean

Cathy With a Colander

Cathy With a Colander

It was recently Cathy’s birthday and we had arranged to meet our friend (and Cathy’s friend since high school) Jean for dinner. Because she was coming from Virginia and because there was heavy traffic on the beltway (heavier than normal, even), we met a little later than we might ordinarily have done. Before meeting her, we took a small load of things to donate to Attic Treasures, the rummage sale at the Washington Christian Academy Christmas Bazaar, which is tomorrow (November 22). It’s a fundraiser for the senior class and is pretty well organized for a rummage sale.

We looked around at other things that had been given and sat chatting for a while on some nice, vintage, (and pink) motel chairs. Then Cathy decided she’s buy this colander to plant sedums in. Naturally I took her picture wearing it as a hat (or helmet, perhaps). I didn’t buy anything but the next day (tomorrow, at the sale itself) I bought three books.

Cathy and Jean

Cathy and Jean

From the school we drove to Rockville and met Jean at Ruby Tuesday in Federal Plaza. We got there ahead of her (because the traffic on the beltway was worse than expected) and I did a quick shop at Trader Joe’s while Cathy bought a few things to fill out her Operation Christmas Child boxes. Then we had a delightful time with Jean. Because we live so far apart (and yet so close) we don’t see her anywhere near often enough. Naturally we stayed at our table much longer than we normally do, but we had missed the busy time and there were empty tables, no one was waiting for us to leave so they could eat. After we left, I took a couple pictures of Cathy and Jean outside in the cold.

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Brian and Lisa Visit

Henry, Cathy, Brian, Lisa, Goldie, and Kippen

Henry, Cathy, Brian, Lisa, Goldie, and Kippen

We had a treat yesterday and today. I got a call from our good friends, Brian and Lisa, who were driving from Georgia to Massachusetts and wanted to stop in to see us and spend the night. Brian came to our youth group with me, since I couldn’t very well get out of that at such short notice (I was teaching). Then we stayed up late talking. This picture was taken about four minutes after midnight, so it counts as a picture for today (I did take other pictures today but you don’t care). We were trying to get both dogs to look at the camera on its tripod but, as you can see, only had limited success.

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Abbie

Abbie

Abbie

Dorothy was in D.C. yesterday stayed through the weekend. This evening she was going to spend the night with her friend, Abbie. Abbie works at Panera Bread (in case you were not able to figure it out from the picture) and had to work until closing this evening. We went there for a late dinner and then Dorothy stayed to wait for Abbie to get off work. I took a couple pictures of Abbie. They may not be great pictures but it’s hard, actually, to get a bad picture of Abbie.

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Perly’s, Richmond

Dorothy, Katy, and Cathy at Perly's

Dorothy, Katy, and Cathy at Perly’s

For lunch on Sunday we went to a little place called Perly’s, on Grace Street. It’s a restaurant and deli that’s been a Richmond landmark for more than 50 years. In September, 2013 it closed, but then reopened September 2, 2014, the same day that we took Dorothy down to Richmond for her internship year. The new owners reworked the menu, but it’s still a comfort food type place. We had a table in the back, which was fine with us, and both the service and the food were terrific. This is Dorothy, Katy, and Cathy waiting for our table (which took less than 5 minutes).

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Sokho!

Sokho

Sokho

As many of you know, I have been the acting youth director (or is it student ministries director?) at church for almost exactly a year. It wasn’t something I had planned, but circumstances were such that I felt it was the right thing to do. I had been working with the youth (this is both middle school and high school aged kids) pretty much since the summer of 2011, when my good friend, Bill, asked me to take his place for a trip to Toronto, with Center for Student Missions. That reminds me, I really need to thank Bill again for that.

Anyway, from the start I was clear that I don’t feel equipped to run a youth program but that I was willing to be used. God spoke through Balaam’s ass (Numbers 22:28) so I knew he could speak even through me. Nevertheless, when Jeff told me that he wanted to hire Sokho as an associate pastor and that he would lead the youth ministry, I was quite pleased. I’m so thankful for this young man and look forward to working with him in the months and years ahead.

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Crazy Cat Lady and Eve

Crazy Cat Lady and Eve

Crazy Cat Lady and Eve

We went to a Day of the Dead party this evening at the home of one of Cathy’s soccer teammates. This picture is of Cathy with our hostess. Cathy, as you can see, was dressed as a crazy cat lady. Ara was Eve (played by Tilda Swinton) from Only Lovers Left Alive. I was dressed as a chef, complete with a length of blood sausage in my jacket pocket (because, I mean, blood sausage).

The best costumes we thought were the best were the samurai and ninja couple but a lot were very clever and a few were seriously elaborate. I’ve never really been crazy about costume parties but that’s almost certainly because I have such a hard time coming up with any good ideas for a costume. Being able to put something on an hour before leaving and having it work is about all I can hope for. That worked this evening, but a little planning ahead could go a long way. I already have been thinking about what I might do for a future party. Now if I can only get the work done ahead of time, so it’s ready when the next party comes…

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Dorothy and The Interns

Dorothy and The Interns

Dorothy and The Interns

I suppose that title sounds a bit like a singing group from the fifties. It’s also a little off because Dorothy is actually one of the interns. Also, the eighth intern isn’t in the picture. That’s life (”that’s what all the people say”). We crawled down I-95 to Richmond this evening and dropped Dorothy off. We had a nice dinner in a little place called Tarrent’s and came back to her apartment just as the rest were coming back, as well. So, we got to say hello and I got to take a few pictures before we got back on the road. Coming home was much easier and we made the trip in about two and a quarter hours, including a stop for gas. We only had to slow briefly for two areas of construction and for some rain the second half of the drive.

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Photo Booth For Stacy and Bryan’s Wedding

Photo Booth For Stacy and Bryan's Wedding

Photo Booth For Stacy and Bryan’s Wedding

I’ve already posted a few pictures to Instagram and Facebook of Stacy and Bryan’s wedding but now that I’m getting caught up on my blog, I’m posting one more. This one is of them after the ceremony and just before the reception really got going. Stacy had asked me if I’d be willing to set up and man a photo booth at the reception. This is what I came up with. I got the idea from Dorothy’s high school art teacher but built it to my own design. It’s not everything I could have hoped, but I was basically pretty happy with it. The other guests at the wedding seemed to enjoy dressing up a bit with funny hats, masks, etc. and posing for pictures, so I guess it was a success. If you would like to borrow it for a wedding or other event, let me know.

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Dorothy and Hannah

Dorothy and Hannah

Dorothy and Hannah

We drove down to Richmond to get Dorothy today (or maybe I should say we crawled down, because it was about three and a half hours each way). Shortly after we got back, Hannah came over. She happened to be here on her fall break, so we were fortunate enough to have her for the evening. The girls let me take a few “normal” pictures (of which this is one), although we took a fair number of not-so-normal pictures, as well. I’ll let the girls post any of those that they want to share.

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Tree Cutting Next Door

Tree Cutting

Tree Cutting

We had two big trees cut down in our back yard last year. There are still some largish trees in our neighbor’s yard but for a little while now, this one has been dead. Before it fell and did any damage, out neighbor had it cut down (today, obviously).

I’m always impressed with tree cutters. Oh, I know it isn’t rocket science or brain surgery but it takes a fair amount of both strength and agility. Watching this guy get up into the tree with such ease was impressive. Then, he got himself set. A rope was thrown over a higher branch and tied to the branch he was going to cut. The most remarkable thing is how easily he started his saw. I’ve struggled with mine. Even when it does start, it doesn’t happen on the first or second pull. Of course, his is well tuned and well broken in, while mine is not. For the tree work he was using a relatively small saw, and he is a good bit younger than I am, but my arms would be all in after a day of what he’s doing.

Anyway, the tree came down and there is a neat pile of firewood in its place.

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Elliot

Elliot

Elliot

We were sitting behind Elliot and his brother and sister this morning in church. I think this picture speaks for itself, so I don’t have much to add except to say what a cute boy he is. I showed him the picture and got a bit smile, but of course, I couldn’t take a picture of him while I was showing him this one.

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Enjoying The Tire Swing

Anna On The Tire Swing

Anna On The Tire Swing

I had a good night’s sleep even while sleeping on the ground. I often don’t sleep well the first night anywhere other than my own bed, even on a reasonably comfortable hotel bed. That means one night camping trips are generally a write off in the sleeping department. But I woke refreshed and enjoyed the cool morning. A few of the kids were up early fishing and I cleaned a cooked a reasonable sized bass along with the sausages and eggs. It was a relaxing day, variously spent fishing, watching the fire, eating, and enjoying the tire swing. We raised it a bit by looping the rope over the branch, because any but the smallest riders made it hit the ground.

Here is Anna, having a swing.

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Camp Fire

Nick, Katherine, Fiona, Anna, Grace, and Hannah

Nick, Katherine, Fiona, Anna, Grace, and Hannah

After work I headed up to Pennsylvania for another evening with a camp fire. This picture is of some of my fellow campers, cooking marshmallows, enjoying the fire, and each others’ company. It was a beautiful, cool evening with a warm fire. We really could not have asked for more. It’s been so busy at work that I was really looking forward to this time away and I must say that I was able to disconnect and rest, both physically and mentally for about 24 hours.

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WCA Picnic

Sierra, Lauren, Abigail, Ayrianna, Sara, Eden, and Amy

Sierra, Lauren, Abigail, Ayrianna, Sara, Eden, and Amy

Even though Dorothy has graduated, we still feel a strong connection to WCA. We have a lot of friends there and still know quite a few students. This afternoon (in the about 100°F heat) WCA had its annual family picnic. We weren’t exactly invited but we brought a side dish and I took pictures, which will be available to the yearbook team, so I think it’s alright. Anyway, we had a nice time visiting with friends. Sometimes getting students to pose for pictures is easy, sometimes, not so much. This group had to be cajoled but in the end, they posed very nicely. I had my back to the building and couldn’t get far enough away to get them all in one shot, so this is actually two pictures, stitched together. Turned out quite well, I think.

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Dorothy

Dorothy

Dorothy

Shortly after I got home this evening, Dorothy went out into the back yard and cut some flowers. We have quite a few right now, particularly black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia), Buddleia davidii, Verbena bonariensis. She was putting the flowers in a vase and stopped long enough for me to take a few pictures of her. I like this one.

She colored her hair today. She’s done that before, so it’s not a big deal, but this time the die was purple colored. Actually, with her darkish hair, it’s not really all that unnatural looking. Since I was expecting purple, I have to say that I like the way it turned out.

I’ve been looking at portraits lately. Generally we think of a person smiling at the camera as the right thing for a portrait. Many times, however, a relaxed expression, not frowning, but not actively smiling, can be very nice, as well. I like the expression in this portrait, as well as the soft lighting from the overcast sky.

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Karlee and Dorothy

Karlee and Dorothy

Karlee and Dorothy

At Ocean Isle Beach there is a church service on the beach each Sunday morning. We’ve meant to go before but this year we actually did. I took this picture of Karlee and Dorothy shortly after the service ended. It was a good way to start the week. Karlee has been to the beach with us every year that we’ve gone since the summer after she and Dorothy were in fourth grade together. We didn’t go in 2007 because we were in Greece and in 2009 we were in Boston for Steve and Maya’s wedding, but all the other years since 2006. Karlee has been to family reunions and actually knows Dorothy’s second and third cousins about as well as Dorothy does. She is definitely one of the family.

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Life, &c.

Up River Cemetery

Up River Cemetery

Those of you who follow my postings on a regular basis know that I sometime get a little behind. Sometimes that is due to the busyness of life and try as I might, I just don’t have time to sit down and process photos or write the little stories that go with them. The recent radio silence is not so much because of the busyness of life but rather because I’m not sure what to write and I’m having a hard time with it.

My cousin passed away on Saturday evening. Technically, he was my first cousin, once removed (my mom’s first cousin). It wasn’t completely unexpected. He had been poorly off and on for quite a little while. Still, it isn’t easy when the time actually comes. It’s harder still when it is someone you admire and respect. Clinton was a kind and gentle man, well liked by acquaintances, well loved by those who knew him. He will be missed.

That’s all I have to say here.

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Finished in Philly

Nate, Hannah, Dorothy, Sara, Anna, Shelly, Suzy, Miranda, Barry, Katie, and Henry

Nate, Hannah, Dorothy, Sara, Anna, Shelly, Suzy, Miranda, Barry, Katie, and Henry

All that was left for us to do this morning was have some breakfast, pack up, and clean our housing site. Once that was done, the group posed for a few team pictures, including this one that includes me (there was a handily placed wall where I set the camera). It was a privilege to work with this team and I’m extremely proud of all of them for the effort them put in this week. It is true that in the larger scheme of things, we didn’t do a very significant amount. On the other hand, I think we all came away with a little better understanding of some the needs in a city like Philadelphia. Thank you, Miranda and CSM, for putting up with us, including our silliness and sarcasm.

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Philadelphia, Day Three

Prepared to Serve at Manna

Prepared to Serve at Manna

We started the day at the camp again, as we did each day this week. We had lunch quickly and then left to go to Manna, a non-profit organization that cooks and delivers nutritious, medically-appropriate meals and provides nutrition counseling to neighbors who are battling life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, renal disease and HIV/AIDS. The team packaged over 1,000 meals as well as putting together English muffin sandwiches and various other tasks. I don’t know the name of the woman on the right, but our team is (from left to right): Suzy, Anna, Shelly, Katie, Sara, Hannah, Dorothy, (and in front) Barry and Nate.

An Evening Off in Philadelphia

An Evening Off in Philadelphia

In the evening, we had a little free time. We went to a little pizza parlor in downtown Philly and enjoyed fresh pizza while watching that last 20 minutes of so of the Argentina vs. Netherlands soccer match. Unfortunately, neither team was able to win, so they flipped a coin and it went to Argentina.

After dinner we went to a miniature golf course in Franklin Square. Here, part of our team poses on a replica of the famous Philadelphia LOVE sculpture in the golf course. From the left, Hannah, Dorothy, Anna, Suzy, and Katie at the bottom.

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Water Balloons

Anna and Shelly with Water Balloons

Anna and Shelly with Water Balloons

I took more pictures today than yesterday but didn’t get a lot that I was happy with. I was also distracted by a fall that I took while playing with the third graders at camp this morning. It hurt a bit, but I didn’t think much of it until about two hours later when I noticed a bit of blood in my eye. Since it was similar to what happened after my first cataract surgery, five years ago, I knew what it was immediately. I didn’t do much the rest of the day, taking a few pictures but mostly just sitting while the others worked.

Our afternoon was spent at a Salvation Army site, doing odd jobs. They included organizing a few storage rooms, which needed it pretty badly, as well as filling this small wheel barrow with water balloons for an upcoming event.

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Cooking Burgers and Dogs

Cooking Burgers and Dogs

Cooking Burgers and Dogs

Each morning in Philadelphia we worked at a summer camp for little kids (across the river in Camden, actually). Each afternoon we had a different opportunity to serve in the city. Today we visited the Mary Jane Home Enrichment Center, run by Mrs. Williams. She had us set up a grill and table from which we served hamburgers, hot dogs, and sausages to anyone who wanted them. I enjoyed chatting with a few local men who stopped by for a meal.

In this picture, Nate took over the grill for a little while (so I cold take pictures). Shelly was in charge of getting buns ready and passed on to the others, who served them to our visitors. It doesn’t look too busy, but it got going shortly after this was taken. We fixed about 40 burgers and at least that many dogs and sausages, putting some chicken on at the end, because there were still people there asking for food.

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Independence Day, 2014

Selfies With Abe

Selfies With Abe

I posted one of the firework photos on Facebook earlier, but now that I’m back from a week in Philadelphia, I’m getting caught up here. So, here are a few pictures from the many that I took on our day in the nation’s capital on the 238th anniversary of Independence Day. Along with our good friends Donna, Stuart, Hannah, and Katie, Dorothy and I went down early in the afternoon and set up our spot just outside Lincoln Memorial Circle near the south west corner of the reflecting pool.

Hannah, Katie, and Dorothy walked to the Folk Life Festival being held on the Mall beyond the Washington Monument. Stuart, Donna, and I talked and passed the time watching people. We all got up and went off at various times, some walking around the tidal basin, etc. I went up to the Lincoln Memorial and took a few pictures from there. My favorite, by far, is this one of three young Americans commemorating their visit with Abe by taking selfies.

Independence Day Crowd

Independence Day Crowd

As the day wore on, more and more people came and by the time the sun dropped behind the memorial, the whole area was packed. One things that’s great about the Independence Day celebration on the Mall is that it’s families and groups that are there to enjoy being with other Americans, including those who started life in other countries. The mood is light and most everyone is happy to be there. It didn’t hurt that is was only about 80°F today, so even in the sun it wasn’t sweltering. In the shade it was almost cool. Usually sitting in the blazing sun all afternoon is the worst part but this year, we were blessed with one of the most beautiful days of the summer so far.

Fireworks

Fireworks

Fireworks

Fireworks

I’ll finish with three pictures of the fireworks themselves. As you can see, we had a great view from our location. The fireworks are set off from the east end of the reflecting pool, so for us they had the Washington Monument as a back drop.

Fireworks

Fireworks

The firework display only lasted 17 minutes but it was long enough and very enjoyable. We were close enough that I had to use a fairly wide angle lens to get the larger explosions in the frame. These were all taken with the zoom at 20mm. They were all two second exposures (with the camera on a tripod), with the ISO set to 100. The first and third were at f/11.3 and the second at f/7. I’m pretty please with how they turned out.

Getting out of D.C. after they are done, of course, is the hardest part. We got to our car, which was parked on E Street, and found our way to the Roosevelt Bridge and out the G. W. Parkway, which worked pretty well. All in all, I think we all enjoyed ourselves and were glad we went.

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Anna, Fiona, and Kimia

Anna, Fiona, and Kimia

Anna, Fiona, and Kimia

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I took the youth group camping (along with some other adults, I’m very happy to say). On Saturday we had a pretty leisurely time, canoeing, fishing (and a few folks learned to clean and fillet a fish), swimming, walking, etc.

Anna and Kimia took the canoe out with Fiona in between them. It wasn’t long after this that people started swimming. At that point, the canoe was upside down most of the time. But this is before that, when it was being used for it’s advertised purpose.

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Gwen’s Serious S’more

Gwen and Her Serious S'more

Gwen and Her Serious S’more

The youth group went on a camping trip this evening and, as far as I could tell, everyone had a good time. We got to our site in Pennsylvania in the late evening and got all the tents up before dark but it was dark by the time dinner was ready. After dinner, most people roasted marshmallows and made s’mores of various descriptions (some foregoing the chocolate, some the graham crackers, etc.).

Gwendolyn made the s’more to end all s’mores, with seven marshmallows, two chocolate bars and two entire graham crackers. Fortunately, she is young and fit and can afford the calories.

To answer the question you are thinking, yes, she ate the entire thing.

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Abbie and Dorothy

Abbie and Dorothy

Abbie and Dorothy

It was the night of the annual Erick’s Hope benefit dinner this evening, at Mama Lucia’s. It’s a pretty good excuse to have a nice meal and the fact that we get to see a lot of friends doesn’t hurt. Normally we have our youth group Bible study on Wednesday evenings but I decided to encourage the youth to support Erick’s Hope, along with their families (and a lot of them did). This was the first time we’ve actually met Dorothy’s friend, Abbie, who joined us for dinner and shared this awesome pizza with Dorothy.

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Sakura

Sakura, Japanese Restaurant

Sakura, Japanese Restaurant

It was a long day today, but we had a real treat in the evening. We got to see our friends, Jean, Lexi, and Karlee, which doesn’t happen nearly often enough. They drove here from Virginia, which is a serious undertaking, especially anywhere near rush hour. We went to Sakura, a Japanese restaurant in Olney, for dinner, and enjoyed the show. I was ready a few times when our chef lit things that he was cooking and this is the best of those pictures.

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Dorothy and Hannah

Dorothy and Hannah

Dorothy and Hannah

Dorothy’s good friend, Hannah, came over this evening to pick up something she had left in our car over the weekend and I took advantage of that and got a few pictures of her with Dorothy.

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Graduation Day

Dorothy and Grandma C

Dorothy and Grandma C

I could post quite a few pictures for today but I’m going to limit myself to two. I took over 500, including multiple photos of each of Dorothy’s 21 classmates walking across the stage. I considered posting one of Dorothy receiving her diploma from Mr. Chamberlain or of Mr. Hawes moving her tassle from the right to the left of her mortarboard, but in the end I decided I’d post this one, of Dorothy and one of her two grandmas (who were both there).

WCA Graduates

WCA Graduates

After the graduation ceremony, we all went back to the school for a reception. The graduates came down the central staircase in the school (to live trumpet music), and they went out in front of the school for the traditional “hat throw.” I decided to go with a a wide angle lens shooting from near the ground, and I’m pretty happy with what I got.

Dorothy is a good student and we are very proud of her achievement. In some ways, celebrating high school graduation is a little like celebrating mile three in a marathon. Everyone is glad glad you made it this far, but you aren’t really nearing the finish line yet. On the other hand, the amount of growth between Kindergarten and 12th grade, at least for Dorothy and most of her friends, has been substantial. Well done!

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Cathy’s Soccer Team

Cathy's Soccer Team

Cathy’s Soccer Team

It was an absolutely beautiful day today and we did our best to spend some of it outdoors. Dorothy and I visited a few of the yard sales in our neighborhood. Every year a local real estate agent organizes a community wide yard sale so there are dozens throughout the neighborhood. Dorothy and I bought a few small things. Then, we went to see the end of the first half and all of the second half of Cathy’s soccer game. After the game I took a few team pictures. Cathy has been playing on this team (or some version of it) since before we were married, which means for more than 30 years.

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Carol and Andy

Carol and Andy

Carol and Andy

Today was the big end-of-year award ceremony at school. While there are awards for the entire middle and upper school, there is a significant focus on the seniors. with honor awards of various kinds. The senior with the top thesis presentation gave a slightly shortened version of that (and Dorothy was thankful that wasn’t her “honor”). There were also departmental awards. Although they could go to anyone, the senior class tended to predominate. I won’t embarrass Dorothy by telling you how she did, except to say that she was embarrassed enough on the day.

I took pictures throughout the ceremony, as well as a few short videos (and one almost 10 minutes long). Most of the pictures are nice in terms of memories for us, but not particularly great photographs otherwise. A person walking onto the stage and receiving a piece of paper. Someone standing at the podium. That sort of thing.

After the award ceremony was over, I took a few more, but not a lot. Cathy took some of me with my mom, which was nice, but of course, my aim here is to post a picture that I took, not just something taken with my camera. The final picture I took is this one of Carol and Andy, grandparents of Dorothy very dear friend, Hannah. I hesitated to post this one, because the lighting is so harsh, but it’s a cute picture of a cute couple. So, here you are.

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Senior Thesis Presentations

Lauren, Toksie, and Dorothy

Lauren, Toksie, and Dorothy

I took 65 pictures today but most of them are of individuals and I always have a hard time picking one picture out of a collection like that. Often I’ll make a point to take pictures in the garden on days like this, so I’ll have an alternative. Today, I didn’t.

Each senior at WCA is required to write a 12 to 15 page thesis on some topic of controversy, secure a short internship related to it in some way, and give a 10 to 12 minute presentation of their thesis to a panel of teachers, who then ask questions of the student. The top three presentations are given a second time to a different panel of teachers and the top one is selected. Today was presentation day. These three girls, Lauren, Toksie, and Dorothy, were the three to move on to the second round. The first picture I took of them, they were all frowning, because they didn’t really want to go through it again, but they all did really well.

Congratulations to all three, but especially to Toksie, who was given the well deserved honor of first place.

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We Are The Champions

W.C.A - The P.V.A.C. Softball Tournament Champions, 2014

W.C.A – The P.V.A.C. Softball Tournament Champions, 2014

It was a very busy day today. Dorothy had her test for Advanced Placement European History from noon to four. Then she had to get to the Mount Vernon Campus of The George Washington University (at Foxhall Road and Whitehaven Parkway, in Northwest D.C.). Cathy and I came from work, getting there as the teams were finishing warming up, so we were able to see the entire championship game. The game went well, from our perspective, and our WCA Wildcats won 9 to 5. Here is the team with their championship banner. For us, the day was a long way from over. We drove from the game to Richmond, dropped Dorothy off at about 11:00 PM, and then drove home, getting in just before 1:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

It’s been a little while since I posted a picture of Cathy, so, here you go. Usually when I post another picture of Cathy or Dorothy, I wonder “aloud” if I’m being too repetitive. This time, I won’t even mention that (oops!). Instead, I’ll say that I’m fortunate, indeed, to be married to such a woman as this.

We’re coming up on 30 years of marriage and in fact, have past 30 years since I asked her (and she agreed) to marry me. That’s a pretty good while, but we aren’t done yet. Of course, no one knows how long he has before he shuffles off this mortal coil (as Hamlet might say). While we need to look to the future, we also need to think back on the past, both with thankfulness and with humility. Thankfulness for all that we’ve been given. Humility in light of our misdeeds, sins both of commission and of omission. Nevertheless, we live in an amazing time, a time like no other in the brief history of mankind. And while there has been and continues to be war and strife throughout the world, we have been blessed with relative peace and prosperity the likes of which has never been seen. I could go on about the abundance we share, but today, I’m thankful for this one person, Cathy, who has been kind enough to live with me. And for as many more years as we are given. Thank you.

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“Winter” Retreat (Spring Edition)

“Winter” Retreat (Spring Edition)

“Winter” Retreat (Spring Edition)

As I was making plans early this year for things to do with the youth group at church, I decided that in addition to our summer trip, it would be nice to have a winter retreat, something close to six months opposite, in late January or early February. Unfortunately, because I was making this decision in late January and early February, it was a bit late. I decided that I didn’t want to wait 11 months for our first winter retreat and I also wanted to include this year’s seniors. So, we had our first “Winter” Retreat on May 9 through 11 (thus the “Spring Edition” part of the name). This picture is of some of our youth, sprawled around the meeting room Friday evening, at Covenant Village in Pennsylvania. If you’re looking for a place for a retreat or camp, you should give Covenant Village a look. We found it perfect for our needs and I’m pretty sure most had a great time.

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Katie, Jessie, and Dorothy

Katie, Jessie, and Dorothy

Katie, Jessie, and Dorothy

I took a bunch of pictures at church this evening and as usual, I had a hard time deciding which one to post. Some of them were not very flattering, so were easy to eliminate. I don’t mind having unflattering pictures of people. They come in handy once in a while, and they are good for a laugh years later. But for posting here, I would rather pick flattering pictures, or at least not-unflattering pictures. This one is pretty nice. It is Dorothy with two of her friends, Katie on the left and Jessie in the middle.

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Joseph and Dorothy

Joseph and Dorothy

Joseph and Dorothy

It’s prom time again and of course, this is Dorothy’s senior year, so it’s “her” prom. This picture is of Dorothy with her friend, Joseph.

As you might expect, I took a few more pictures, both here, with Dorothy and Joseph as well as Cat and Lee, who came here before they all left for Scott’s house. Then, at Scott’s house I took a lot more of the larger group of mostly seniors who gathered there before they left for dinner.

While they were having dinner at Lauren’s family’s country club, Cathy, Diana, and I had dinner at Urban BBQ. I dropped the ladies off at home and went to the prom location to take pictures for a little while. I had been invited to do that and given permission by Dorothy to stay for the first hour. I actually overstayed my time by a little, but considering that there were only three students there for the first half hour, I didn’t feel like I broke the spirit of the law.

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Brittany and Nicole

Brittany and Nicole

Brittany and Nicole

Cathy and I took a relaxing little drive up interstate 95 this morning. Actually, except for about four miles approaching the Harbor Tunnel Thruway south of Baltimore, we didn’t have any trouble. Traffic was heavy but moving quite nicely. We were visiting the folks that I’ll be working with one week this summer. Back in July of 2011 we had a similar trip with CSM Toronto which I was (sort of) tricked into leading. This year I volunteered. Actually, I’m looking forward to it. It was good to meet Brittany and Nicole, who run the office in Philadelphia. In addition to seeing where we’ll be staying and a few of our work sites, we had a nice lunch with them along with another team leader and his wife.

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Ice Cream

Maureen, Jessie, Dorothy, Gretchen, Anna, Ellen, and Mary

Maureen, Jessie, Dorothy, Gretchen, Anna, Ellen, and Mary

I drove a few students from the youth group out to the University of Maryland this evening for a Cru event. After it was done, we went to Cold Stone Creamery, nearby and managed to get there just before they closed.

Here’s the group (from left to right): Maureen, Jessie, Dorothy, Gretchen, Anna, Ellen, and Mary. Safiya got to Stone Cold just after the picture was taken, unfortunately.

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A Boy and His Bee

Judah and His Bee

Judah and His Bee

I believe that this is either Bombus pensylvanicus (the American Bumble Bee) or Bombus auricomus (the Black-and-gold Bumble Bee). Either way, it was a friendly sort of fellow. My assumption is that this was a male, because the males cannot sting, and this one was not even trying. He didn’t seem able to fly, really, either. He seems determined to get up into Judah’s hair, and he had to be moved back onto Judah’s nose a few times.

Those of you freaked out by the thought of a bee walking on your face, I understand, believe me. But most insects, even bees, are really not all that dangerous. Some, like some hornets and wasps, need to be avoided or at the very least not aggravated. Taking pictures of them, though, is usually safe enough if you don’t move too quickly and don’t try to touch them (like Judah was clearly doing here).

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Arrgh!

Zora, Blade, and Zippy (a.k.a. Dorothy, Karl, and BeEmnet)

Zora, Blade, and Zippy (a.k.a. Dorothy, Karl, and BeEmnet)

This evening was opening night of Dead Man’s Chest, performed by Washington Christian Academy’s King’s Players on the historic stage at the Olney Theatre. Everything went wonderfully and a good time was had by all (at least everyone I spoke to). Dorothy played the part of Zora, one of the three somewhat bumbling “pirates.” They did the “all for one” type salute a few times but I particularly like this one because Dorothy is holding a frying pan instead of her sword.

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Play Practice

Becky and Cat

Becky and Cat

It’s Play Week at Dorothy’s school and since she has a part, it’s a busy time for her and the rest of the cast and crew. Starting today, they have their practices in the Olney Theatre, where the play will be performed on Friday and Saturday. In this picture, Becky (our fearless director) and Cat relax over dinner after running through the entire play. After dinner, they went through Act 2 again. At this point in the process, it’s usually a nail-biting experience, as it doesn’t seem possible that things will come together in time. This year, things seem to be going pretty well and they are, perhaps, a bit ahead of where they are most years. Much less hectic.

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Simple Machines

Collyn and Her Class

Collyn and Her Class

It’s that time of year again. One of my very favorite days of the year. It’s the day I visit the second grade class and demonstrate a few simple machines. You remember those, right? Levers, pulleys, inclined planes? Yes. For the previous two visits, see Monday, April 16, 2012 and Wednesday, March 13, 2013.

As you probably know by now, if you have been following my posts for any length of time, the highlight of the day, by far, is the opportunity the second grade students have to pick up their teacher. She’s not exactly heavy to begin with. But second graders are not really big enough to pick her up, or certainly not easily, anyway. With the strength multiplying “magic” of pulleys (and a stout rope), it takes only 20% of her weight to lift her off the ground.

Thanks you, Collyn, for letting me have such fun with your class. You’re a real sport.

Oh, and by the way, happy anniversary, Collyn and Keith!

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

You can never have too many pictures of your friends and family. The longer I live and the more pictures I take, the more I believe this to be true.

For yesterday I posted a picture of Lucia that I took at church. Today, a picture of my ever young bride, Cathy. This got me thinking about having pictures of people and the realization that you can’t have too many of them.

Have you ever gone back and looked at pictures from 5, 10, or 15 years ago (or longer)? Isn’t it wonderfully fun? The one problem I sometimes face is looking at a picture of someone I know I knew well and not remembering their name. It isn’t likely to happen with pictures of Cathy, of course, but of those not related to me, it’s all too possible. So, label your pictures as you take them. It makes looking at them all the more enjoyable. But whatever you do, take lots of pictures.

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Lucia

Lucia

Lucia

I only took a handful of photographs on this date (Wednesday, March 26), all of them at our church youth group meeting this evening. I’m posting this on Sunday the 30th. Last night I promised to post one of the portraits that I took. Dorothy and I agree that this is the best of them.

I do not believe that Lucia has graced this blog before today, so let me introduce her to you all. Lucia moved here in the last year so has had the difficulty of making a completely new set of friends. We were fortunate to have her and her parents find us at church.

One thing I enjoy is learning the various expressions of my friends. Some find it easy to smile and laugh. Others are more reluctant (particularly when a camera is aimed at them). Lucia is one of those fortunate people to whom a smile comes very easily. It certainly adds to her face value, don’t you think?

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

One thing I worry about (although I can’t say it actually keeps me up at night) is that I am repeating myself on this here blog thing. Are my pictures too repetitive? Am I not creative enough? What can I do to get something different. The problem is that even if I do something different one day, that’s just one day. then I’m back to looking for something to photograph the next. But that’s life for you. Life is repetitive. We see the same people and travel the same roads most days and that’s not always bad. If every day were completely different to the day before our lives would be pretty tiring. That’s something about travel that I love but also don’t like. The sheer differentness of each day gets tiring after a while. And even then, there are many things that are the same. I mostly don’t mind the sameness to my days. It means, among other things, that life is pretty stable for me. Anyway, I get to come home to this lovely lady every day, and that really is good.

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Elizabeth

Elizabeth

Elizabeth

There are always people that you wish you’d run into more often and this little girl and her family are in that category. I’ve been taking pictures of her and her brothers since they were tiny but the chances I get are way too far apart for my taste. We always say we should get together more often and we really mean it, but it doesn’t work out, somehow. I’m convinced life gets squeezed out by all the stuff we fill our life with and here I use the word “stuff” where a stronger word my do better.

Anyway, Elizabeth is about 14 months older than the last time I took her picture, I think. As you can see, she’s missing a few teeth but her smile is just as genuine as ever. Her brothers were around, as well, and I tried a few times to get pictures of her younger brother but he wasn’t having any of it.

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Fiona

Fiona

Fiona

She appeared here on October 3, 2013 at about age four weeks. She’s really grown a lot and happened to come to work today with her mom. I heard a knock on my door and was happy to have this face waiting for me (and Kasia’s, of course) when I opened my door. The picture from October doesn’t really have a good smile but now she’s getting the hang of it.

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Calvin and Henry

Calvin

Calvin

I was over at Henry and Calvin’s house this evening. I suppose it’s really Greta and Andy’s house, but when you have kids as cute as these two, you are going to have to learn that it’s their house that people come to. Actually, I wasn’t there to be with the kids. That was a wonderful bonus and of course I took the time to take pictures of both of them.

Calvin, being still fairly young, isn’t as adept as his big brother in making facial expressions on command but he did smile a few times for me and I think this picture captures it pretty well. He’s getting over a cold and I think his head was stuffed up, which didn’t help him much, but he’s basically a happy boy.

Henry

Henry

It’s been a while since I’ve seen them and I was quite impressed with how much talking Henry is doing and how understandable he is. Once or twice during the evening he’d say something and we’d all look at each other as if to say, “do you have any idea what he just said?” Mostly, though, he’s quite understandable and starting to communicate clearly. He still has his wonderful smile and is getting better at smiling when asked.

Great kids, good food, healthy discussion. All the makings of an enjoyable evening.

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Our Daily Bread

James, Jonny, and Dorothy

James, Jonny, and Dorothy

We were down in Richmond for the long weekend, arriving at about 3:45 this afternoon. When we got there, we were warmly greeted by James and Jonny, who are interns at Hillside Missions. They showed us around the building, including their apartment and shared the loaf of bread they had just made. Shortly after this, we left Dorothy with James, Jonny, Becca, and Katy and headed off to our hotel.

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Keith, Gordy, and Sue

Keith, Gordy, and Sue

Keith, Gordy, and Sue

I’m so often taking pictures of young people that I thought I’d post one of some not-quite-as-young people. This is Keith, Gordy, and Sue, three of the nicest people you could ever meet.

We had a congregational lunch at church this afternoon and I took this, along with a bunch more, as we were getting ready to eat.

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“Interpretive” Dance

Joseph and Justin

Joseph and Justin

There was a banquet, award ceremony, and dance this evening at the school. During the award ceremony, the two emcees, Joseph and Justin, performed for the audience. While Justin played the piano, Joseph did an interpretive dance. At least that’s what they called it. I won’t comment on what I think they were interpreting. They were actually quite funny and a good time was had by most.

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Not Resting On Her Laurels

Dorothy's Laurel Wreath

Dorothy’s Laurel Wreath

Dorothy made a laurel wreath for herself this evening. Actually, she started it a few weeks ago, cutting out and painting the leaves gold. This evening she turned the pieces into a wreath that she can wear. It’s spirit week at school the four “houses” each have a theme and they are to dress in some way that relates to the theme tomorrow. Her house’s theme is Greek mythology so she plans to dress as a Greek goddess, complete with golden laurel wreath.

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Beetling Off To Boston

Dorothy at BWI

Dorothy at BWI

Dorothy left for Boston this evening. Well, technically she left for Wenham, northeast of Boston, but her flight was to Boston’s Logan Airport. She has an interview at Gordon College scheduled for tomorrow, as well as plans to sit in on one or two classes. Of course, I’m posting this on Sunday and she left on Thursday, so tomorrow was the day before yesterday, as I write this. The interview went well and she enjoyed the classes. We don’t know if this is where she’ll end up, but she could do worse. Here’s a picture of Dorothy at BWI before her first airline flight with no one else that she knows. She’s flown without us a few times and once with her friend’s brother on the same plane, but this time, she’s really solo. All went well, I’m happy to report.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

It’s been a while since I posted a picture of Cathy, so, here’s one. She’s a good sport to let me take pictures all the time. Once in a while, she even appreciates it. One really nice thing to do is to go back about ten years and look at pictures. We can go back much farther, of course, but 2003 is when I got my first digital camera and most pictures from before that are not on-line so they are a little harder to get at. Once it a while we’ll look through prints, of course, but a lot are also slides, which are harder still. I really need to start at the beginning and scan pictures. Even if they are not good enough scans to let me really get rid of the originals, it would make looking through them easier. It’s a bit of a task, though. There are more than a few dozen pictures to scan, as you might imagine. Still, if I got started, even if I only did a little at a time, I’d get through them eventually. Who knows, maybe I’ll do that in 2014. The Great Digitization Project needs to begin.

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Last Photo of 2013

One Second to 2014

One Second to 2014

This is the last photo I took in 2013, taken at 23:59:59 (give or take a half second). In all, I took 24,837 shots in 2013, although some of them could easily not be counted (e.g., when the flash didn’t fire, etc.). Still, I have managed to take at least one photo every day since December 29, 2010 (1,099 days) and have been posting them since three days later. So, three years of a photo a day comes to a close. I don’t plan to stop, so for those of you kind enough to visit my blog, either directly or via Facebook, thanks for your time. See you next year.

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Second Christmas

Second Christmas

Second Christmas

As I mentioned in the previous post, we had a multi-part Christmas this year. Actually, that’s normal. We have a multi-part Christmas almost every year. So, we had a normal Christmas this year. After breakfast and presents at Cathy’s mom’s house, we went to my mom’s and had Second Christmas. There were a few more people for this one, as you can see. Mom has posted a picture on Facebook from her end of the table. I’m in that one. So, here’s one that she is in, along with everyone else. This was taken before we popped our Christmas crackers. I took a few with all of us wearing our little hats, but it isn’t as good so you’ll have to imagine that, instead.

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Grandma and Dorothy

Grandma and Dorothy

Grandma and Dorothy

We had a wonderful Christmas with multiple parts. After emptying our stockings at home, we went to Cathy’s mom’s house (a.k.a. Grandma number 1). Our friend Betsy joined us, which was a real treat. We had our traditional breakfast of pancakes, poached eggs, bacon, and sausage. After breakfast and a nice cup of coffee, we opened presents. I took pictures with Betsy and Cathy in them, as well, but I really like this picture of Dorothy with her grandma. I hope you like it, too.

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Santa’s Pre-Visit

Santa's Pre-Visit

Santa’s Pre-Visit

I don’t know if it’s because the kids in our neighborhood have been especially nice or if they need a little more encouragement to be good. Whatever the reason, Santa often makes a pre-visit to our neighborhood and he came this evening, the Sunday before Christmas, driving through around with Christmas music playing and giving out goodies to the children who came out to see him. Generally we hear him in the area long before he gets to our street, so there is significant anticipation among the kids, particularly the younger kids. Note that the reindeer have a very big night ahead of them and they are not asked to pull the sleigh this night, as well. Santa opts for the less traditional but very practical diesel.

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Gretchen

Gretchen

Gretchen

We had our last X-Factor of the year this evening and enjoyed a festive time with traditional Christmas pizza (well, it was traditional American pizza, anyway, which is probably close enough). The youth enjoyed our annual gift swap game (you know, one of those where “stealing” other peoples’ gifts is actually encouraged). I took pictures, to no one’s surprise. This one, of Gretchen, turned out very nicely, don’t you think?

Thanks to all the people who make this X-Factor happen. Thanks to our youth, obviously, for coming and being so enthusiastic. Thanks to their parents who bring them each week (even if you carpool so you don’t personally come every time). And a special thank you to Hannah, who helps us get set up before the youth arrive and helps us get cleaned up before we leave. You’re a real blessing.

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Lessons and Carols

Lessons and Carols

Lessons and Carols

We went to Fourth Presbyterian Church this evening for their Festival of Lessons and Carols, a celebration of the Christmas story. We enjoyed the sanctuary, youth, and covenant (children’s) choirs accompanied by a fairly full orchestra. We sang or listened to 13 different songs (somehow appropriate for Friday the thirteenth), along with 9 passages of scripture. Not everyone’s cup of tea, perhaps, but we really enjoyed it. It wasn’t the sort of thing to take a lot of pictures of, but I did take a few, including this one from our seat towards the rear of the sanctuary.

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Christmas Caroling

Dorothy, Sara, and Jessie

Dorothy, Sara, and Jessie

We had our second annual Christmas caroling outing this evening. Like last year, we rigged up a pick-up truck with drums and room for a base guitar player. Then behind that was a long trailer with a table set up for a keyboard. The rest of the trailer had bales of straw for folks to sit on. It was quite a bit cooler this year than last, so folks bundled up with blankets in addition to their jackets (and I even rolled my sleeves down and put on a pair of gloves!). We had a good time and enjoyed being together, both out in the neighborhood and back for hot chocolate and cookies when we were done singing.

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Tim and Jeffrey

Tim and Jeffrey

Tim and Jeffrey

We had X-Factor this evening and, as is so often the case, I took some pictures. Naturally, some of them are good and some not so good. I find it interesting which people are easy to photograph well and which are not, and find that it has little to do with good looks, somewhat surprisingly.

Anyway, this is Tim (or does he prefer Timmy?) and Jeffrey (or would he like Jeff?). Like the hats, boys.

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Proper Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving Gathering

Our Thanksgiving Gathering

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, we had homemade pizza for our Thanksgiving meal on Thursday. Well, we had our proper Thanksgiving today, with my mom and family. It was your traditional meal with turkey, stuffing, gravy, and two types of squash (leftovers of the acorn squash with Gruyere cheese I made yesterday and George’s butternut squash with maple syrup). There were three types of cranberry sauce, salad, asparagus, a puff pastry dish with farro and feta cheese (which is really, really good). For dessert there were a few pies and cakes as well as an assortment of ice creams.

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Julia

Julia

Julia

It was a short week, with only three days of school for Dorothy and of work for Cathy and me, but somehow it seemed like a long week. We were all tired and ready for a break. When Wednesday evening finally came, Dorothy asked if she could go hang out with Julia, who was home for a few days from college. We dropped her off and then went out to dinner, but of course we stopped in for a few minutes to visit, first. Visit and take a few pictures.

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Selling Photographs

My Photo Table

My Photo Table

As I think I mentioned, I had a vendor table at the WCA Christmas Bazaar today. It’s something I look forward to every year and I had a great time. Of course, many of the people that I saw are old friends but I usually meet a few new people or get to know some that I’ve only just met recently. I sold a fair number of cards and prints and enjoyed all the visiting. Thank you to everyone who stopped by. Dorothy took this picture of me, so I could show you my display. Nothing fancy, of course, because I’m not really a fancy person.

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias

This evening I took Dorothy and four of her classmates to Johns Hopkins University to hear Ravi Zacharias speak. For those not familiar with the name, Dr. Zacharias is a Christian apologist and defender of traditional evangelicalism. Rather than simply copy his bio here, I’ll link to it on the RZIM web site. He was speaking this evening on the topic of “The Problem of Suffering and the Goodness of God.” We got there about a half hour before the program started and were fortunate to get seats, much less seats all together. It was a good talk and worth the effort. Of course, you can also hear him online or on the radio without driving to Baltimore. Still, it’s nice once in a while to actually see and hear people speak in person.

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The Birthday Continues

Cathy, Pancakes, and Syrup

Cathy, Pancakes, and Syrup

In the continuing story of the celebration of Cathy’s most recent birthday, the three of us went out for dinner this evening. It wasn’t what you might call a fancy dinner. We had thought to go to a small Italian place that we like pretty well. Unfortunately they are closed on Mondays so we had to fall back on Plan B. That, as it turned out, was a trip to IHOP. Not gourmet, particularly, but it was good and it was and is always nice to be together, just the three of us. Happy continued birthday!

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Fishtail Braid

Dorothy's Braid

Dorothy’s Braid

I was late getting around to taking any pictures today. I was taking pictures of small things in the kitchen when Dorothy came in with a new braid in her hair. I asked if I could take a picture of that, and here it is. It is called a fishtail braid. Perhaps we’ll resume our regularly scheduled collection of fall color photographs tomorrow. Who can tell?

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Trick or Treat

Katie and her Kids

Katie and her Kids

We only had 32 trick or treaters for Halloween this year. Of course it started to rain about the time the kids started to appear so I suspect that kept the numbers down a bit. Katie came by with her three, and they stayed at the door long enough for me to get their picture. I got another one, later, of Porter and Joseph, which is good but not nearly so cute.

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Henry and Greta

Henry and Greta

Henry and Greta

Last Wednesday I posted three pictures, two of Calvin and one of Henry. All three pictures had other people with these beautiful boys. I know I’ve already posted a photo for today but I can’t resist posting this one, of Henry and his mom, Greta. It’s just too good a picture to pass up.

Generally I’ve been trying to fill this space to the left of the photograph. It isn’t necessary, I know, but it’s forcing me to write a bit more as an exercise. In this case, I’m just going to let the photo speak for itself.

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Fritz

Fritz

Fritz

Dorothy was going out to our friends’ farm this evening and rather than let her get a ride, which would have made a lot of sense, I took her myself. Mostly it’s because I like the excuse to visit the farm. We got there just before dusk, which wasn’t the best time for pictures, but I took a few anyway, including this one of the youngest farmer, Fritz. Like most very young people, he didn’t know what to make of me at first but after a few pictures, and after I showed them to him, he warmed up to me a little. Enough for something of a smile, anyway.

I took some with Anna in them and a few with Dorothy holding Fritz but none of them are as good as this one, which I like.

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Henry and Calvin

Donna and Calvin

Donna and Calvin

Gretchen and Henry

Gretchen and Henry

Katie and Calvin

Katie and Calvin

Greta was at church this evening and had her two boys with her. Henry and Calvin have appeared here before but I couldn’t resist adding a few more of them.

First we have Donna with Calvin, then Gretchen and his older brother, Henry, and finally Katie with Calvin again. As you can see, Calvin hasn’t quite got “smile for the camera“ figured out, but it won’t be long, I’m sure.

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Hannah!

Hannah

Hannah

On Thursday I got a text message from Dorothy at school asking me (in all caps) why I didn’t tell her she was in town. I played dumb and pretended that I didn’t know what Dorothy was talking about. Dorothy isn’t a big fan of surprises. Still, it isn’t always about her and I had been asked to keep it quiet, so I kept it quiet.

On Saturday we were fortunate enough to have Hannah visit us for a while. Not long enough for Dorothy, but we’ll take what we can get. During the day I decided the red leaves of this dogwood tree would make a good backdrop for Hannah’s flaxen hair. She was nice enough to let me take a few pictures of her and this is one of my favorites.

It was nice to see you, not-daughter.

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Donna and Preston

Donna and Preston

Donna and Preston

When the only pictures I have for a particular day are taken at church or school or another “gathering” event, I often go through them with Cathy and Dorothy to select the best picture to post here. It’s fun, of course, to take pictures of people making funny faces but in general (and this isn’t a hard and fast rule) I try to post pictures here that are not going to embarrass anyone. That’s not to say that the people in them are going to like the pictures, of course. If that was my criteria, I’d often have a hard time posting pictures of some people because some (or many) people don’t like pictures of themselves as a matter of policy.

Donna generally doesn’t like having her picture taken but was happy to pose with Preston her son, who is one of those people always happy to have his picture taken as long as he can make a face or strike a pose. In this case, they were both relaxed and happy and I think you’ll agree, it’s a pretty good picture.

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Dorothy at Maureen’s

Dorothy at Maureen's

Dorothy at Maureen’s

With Cathy away for a few days, we had to make special arrangements for Dorothy’s after-school pick-up for some of this week. Tuesday’s, however, are relatively easy. Starting sometime last year, Dorothy would go to her friend Julia’s house after her piano lesson on Tuesday and they would work on homework together. Well, this year, Julia is away at college. Also, Dorothy isn’t taking piano this year, because she needs as many evenings free as possible for homework. If you think these changes have altered Dorothy’s schedule significantly, you’d be wrong, however. Julia’s mom, our wonderful friend, Maureen, has been picking Dorothy up many Tuesday’s and she spends the evening with her other family, working on homework, ready assigned reading, and otherwise enjoying herself. So, this picture is of Dorothy when I went to pick her up later this evening.

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Banquet Performance

Peace, Karol, Maggie, Olivia, and Dorothy

Peace, Karol, Maggie, Olivia, and Dorothy

The annual WCA Banquet was this evening and we had a great time visiting with friends. Dorothy played piano and provided vocal accompanyment (along with Peace, Karol, and Maggie) for Olivia who did a great job singing for us. One thing that’s difficult when Dorothy is performing is that I want to get both still photographs, because that’s what I do, and video, because a recording is so nice. I can’t do both at the same time. Well, I can take a still photo while the video is recording but it will drop about a second from the video, which is annoying. I could also use frames from the video as still images. In this case, I took the photograph as they are just about to start playing and then switched over to video quickly and recorded the song.

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Fiona Grace

Fiona Grace

Fiona Grace

Her big brother Orion has appeared here, almost a year ago (October 26, 2012) and now I’d like to introduce Fiona Grace to you. She was born less than four weeks ago and I got to meet her for the first time today (at Mike’s retirement breakfast party). She actually slept most of the time, which most will agree is a good trait in a baby. But she woke up long enough for me to get a few pictures of her with her eyes open. This photo doesn’t really do her justice. What a beautiful little thing she is.

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Mike’s Retirement

Mike at His Retirement

Mike at His Retirement

I have three pictures to post for today. I’m going to start with how I spent my morning. My boss of about 11 years is retiring and tomorrow is his last “official” day. He will be in the office from time to time but won’t be working full time any more and is done supervising me.

Kathy planned a farewell breakfast for Mike this morning for those of us working on the current project with him. It was a nice time of visiting with coworkers whom I also consider friends. I’m not much for “the best this” or “the most that” but I don’t have any qualms about saying that Mike has been a great boss and a great coworker. I’m going to miss him.

Thank you, Mike.

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Dorothy and Sarah

Dorothy and Sarah

Dorothy and Sarah

It’s not terribly uncommon for me to take pictures at church. Most everyone seems to have become used to seeing me with a camera and for the most part they humor me and pretend they don’t mind, which is nice of them. This morning I only took a few but this one, I think, is quite nice.

On a somewhat random note, these two girls have birthdays on each other’s half birthday. That is, their birthdays are exactly six month’s apart.

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Overtime!

Dorothy and Kato

Dorothy and Kato

When Cathy and I were in high school (and starting long before we were) a wonderful couple from our church opened their home on a regular basis to high school kids. The K’s open house was definitely a highlight of those years. They aren’t opening their home any more but the tradition lives on in two homes next to each other in the same general part of the county. Thank’s Kato and Doug, Kathy and Michael for doing for Dorothy what the K’s did for us. They’re big shoes to fill but you’re doing a great job.

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Day 1,000: Corinne and J.J.

Corinne and J.J.

Corinne and J.J.

Today markes a milestone of sorts. I suppose all days are milestones, if we think about it. But today is the one thousandth consecutive day on which I’ve taken at least one photograph. Technically, the milestone was reached three days ago but it was 1,000 days ago today, January 1, 2011, that I began the conscious effort of taking photographs every day. I happen to have taken photographs on December 29, 30, and 31 of 2010, but those just happen to have been taken. Whatever. Actually, the photos here only start at the end of 2011 because the first year they were posted on Facebook. I’m in the process of importing them into this site, so eventually they’ll all be here.

For today’s photo, we have two of our next door neighbors, Corinne and J.J. who are 4½ and 2½ respectively. As you can see, they are out for a ride being pulled by their dad. Their little brother was on the back of Katie’s (their mom’s) bike. As it happens, today is another milestone. Happy birthday, Katie.

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Another Birthday

Cathy, Dorothy, and Margaret

Cathy, Dorothy, and Margaret

Yesterday’s birthday party for Keith was a bigger gathering and there was a lot more food. Nevertheless, today’s birthday bash, with just the three of us plus the guest of honor, was just as important. Cathy’s mom turned 87 today and we celebrated in quiet fashion at her house. The light bulb is a little out of place but Cathy was changing a few that had burned out and just happened to have it in her hand.

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Happy Birthday, Keith!

img_20130921_070622

We had a small gathering for our friend Keith today, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of his birth. We had delicious beef barbecue, collard greens, salad, cornbread, potato salad, etc. as well as cake and ice cream. It was a good time of fellowship with good friends. This isn’t the best possible picture of Keith but it’s the best I got on the day. Happy Birthday, brother!

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Youth Team Meeting

Donna, Maureen, D,, and Donna

Donna, Maureen, D,, and Donna

The church youth team met this evening to make plans for the fall. Since I didn’t really have much time to get out and take pictures today, I took a few pictures of the team. We had a nice dinner together and planned all the details of our X-Factor kick-off. I think it’s going to be fun.

From left to right, we have Donna, Maureen, D., and Donna.

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Dorothy and Nicole

Dorothy and Nicole

Dorothy and Nicole

The school science department has a fundraiser each year at Cheeburger Cheeburger in Olney. Naturally, I took a few pictures, including this one of Dorothy and Nicole. My wide angle lens does funny things with heads when they are near the edges of pictures but this one isn’t as noticeably distorted as some. Naturally, a good time was had by all. My peanut butter and Heath bar milkshake was awesome (as always).

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Dorothy and Duke

Dorothy and Duke

Dorothy and Duke

Dorothy had a day off from school today and we decided, sort of at the last minute, to take a trip down to James Madison University. We saw the campus in July of 2012 but it wasn’t an “official” visit and we didn’t take a tour. Last night we signed up for a tour today at 10:00 AM. We left home at about 7:30 and got there in good time. We saw what was to be seen and ate lunch in the dining hall before driving home. Dorothy agreed to sit with Duke before we left.

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Spencer

Spencer

Spencer

It’s a little surprising that Spencer’s picture hasn’t appeared here before now. He was mentioned in a post, when he gave some cookies to Dorothy and I took a picture of the cookies, but there hasn’t been a picture of him. So, here he is. Granted, this isn’t the best picture of him I’ve ever taken, but I think it does him justice.

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Dorothy Driving

Dorothy Driving

Dorothy Driving

Dorothy’s had her learner’s permit since the middle of October, last year. She drove a few times, starting out staying in our neighborhood and then venturing out onto larger and busier roads. She hasn’t driven since December, though. It’s been a combination of her not caring and us not pushing it. Today, we went out driving again. having been out of the driver’s seat so long, it was a little like starting over but she regained her confidence fairly quickly and she did quite well.

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D’Argo

D'Argo

D’Argo

We went over to my mom’s for dinner this evening. There wasn’t really any special occasion. She had been at a sort of mini-family reunion in Virginia and had made quite a bit of curry chicken salad and had a pretty good amount left over. It needed to be eaten so we obliged and ate some. It was nice to get together just for the fun of it and nice that Steve and Maya are in town now, which I sometimes don’t remember for some reason. They brought their not-quite-new-any-more corgi, D’Argo, with them and that’s who is in this photo. I’m not sure whose hand that is.

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Dorothy’s Last First Day of School

First Day of School, First Grade (2002)

First Day of School, First Grade (2002)

First Day of School, Twelfth Grade (2013)

First Day of School, Twelfth Grade (2013)

As Dorothy moves into her senior year of high school, this will be a year of lasts. Today was her last first day of school. She does plan to go to college, but that’s different. Eleven years ago I took the picture on the left, as Dorothy started first grade at the Fourth Presbyterian School. On the right is from today, starting her senior year at Washington Christian Academy. Quite a change in such a short time.

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UMBC Party

Julia

Julia

Foam Party

Foam Party

we went to visit our good friend Julia this evening at UMBC. Dorothy and I visited the school one day last year but Cathy had never been. It was nice to see Julia’s dorm room and we also went to dinner with her. School hadn’t started yet, it was still orientation for a few more days, so not everyone was on campus yet.

After dinner in the dining hall we sat on a bench outside the dorm and watched as a foam party began on the lawn. It was an interesting time of people watching and to be honest, I can’t say it made me wish I was back in school.

A while ago I had a realization that was a little disconcerting but ultimately has been quite freeing. When in a situation like this, where most of the people are half my age (or even a third of my age), I don’t think I’m strange for wondering how I am seen by these young people. I don’t think it unusual for someone, particularly an older someone, to feel like they are younger than they are and want to fit it. The reality is that someone my age is mostly invisible to most people a third my age. Particularly in a situation like this, where the young people are probably more concerned with how they are seen, they are unlikely to care about that old man on a bench (even when two of his three companions are also a third his age). So, while they might see me enough to avoid walking into me, they are not liable to look at me long enough to have any idea what I look like or whether I’m liable to fit in. I’m virtually invisible.

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Suzy and Calvin

Suzy and Calvin

Suzy and Calvin

I’ve had one picture of Calvin here before, when he was less than a week old. His big brother, Henry, has been in at least two posts (and possibly more — searching for his first name doesn’t help, because it’s on every page!). Here’s another of Calvin, now about four months old. I don’t know where he stands, percentile-wise, but he seems pretty big to me.

As you might expect for such a cute and even tempered baby, he gets passed around quite a bit on Sunday after church. This is Suzy who has him here and I think they make a handsome couple. She might be a little old for him, but he could do worse.

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The Three Amigos

Hannah, Stephanie, and Lyla

Hannah, Stephanie, and Lyla

I don’t have a lot to say about this photograph. As most people who know me know, I don’t really care for young people that much. These three, however, have been such good pals for a long while and I’ve enjoyed watching them grow from girls to young ladies. They spend much of there lives far apart, at their various colleges and it’s grand to see them together.

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A Window Seat

Evan's Window Seat

Evan’s Window Seat

One of my co-workers sons was in the office today. He didn’t make a lot of noise. In fact, I wouldn’t have noticed he was there except I happened to walk by him. He had found a window seat and was quietly reading one of the A Series of Unfortunate Events books, by Lemony Snicket (a.k.a. Daniel Handler). I asked if he minded if I took his picture. Knowing his mother and how photographically oriented she is, I wasn’t surprised when he said something to the effect of, “whatever.”

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Dorothy and Cat

Dorothy and Cat

Dorothy and Cat

After our vacation, where finding something to photograph wasn’t a problem, I’m back at home where I get up, go to work, come home, fix dinner, and that’s about it. My commute doesn’t take me past much in the way of scenic beauty. My office is pretty barren, photographically. I wonder, sometimes, how long I can keep this up. When I got home today, though, Dorothy’s friend, Cat, was here. A photographic subject! Thanks, girls.

Oh, and cute haircut, Cat.

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Returning From England

Katie, Ellen, Hannah, and Dorothy

Katie, Ellen, Hannah, and Dorothy

Stuart, Donna, and Cathy

Stuart, Donna, and Cathy

As vacations always do, our time in England had drawn to an end. I think we were all ready to be home again but had enjoyed ourselves immensely. For all but Cathy and me, this was everyone’s first trip to England, so everything was new. Cathy and I got to see a lot of things we hadn’t seen before and were happy to revisit those few places we had been. The weather was wonderful and even our rainy day in the Lake District was fun, ranking pretty high in everyone’s reckoning, I think.

On Monday, August 19 we checked out of the hotel and made our way to Terminal 3 at London’s Heathrow Airport. We got checked in, made our way through the frontal assault of the duty free zone (although free samples of whisky was something I don’t see very often), and got to our gate. The flight home was less uncomfortable than on the way, mostly because I was on an aisle this time. Because it was a daytime flight none of us really bothered to try to sleep. It’s a little weird being on a plane for over 8 hours but you arrive only three and a half hours after you left.

Since there were no real sights to be seen today, I leave you with two pictures of the seven people who spent these last two weeks with me. Thanks for your patience when I made a wrong turn or got us turned around. I’d travel with you all again any time (especially Cathy and Dorothy, of course).

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England: Day 1, London

The Blues and Royals riding under Wellington Arch.

The Blues and Royals riding under Wellington Arch.

I took about 4,400 photos during our two weeks in England* and there is no way I’m going to give you a full accounting of them here. I’m too far behind as it is, for one thing. So, I’m going to post one or possibly two photos from each day and tell you a little of what else we saw that day. If you know me on Facebook, then you’ll have already seen more than enough but you might learn a thing or two about our trip here in any case. If we are not connected on Facebook drop me a line and I’ll give you a link to my best-of gallery on my private site.

Our first day in England was not a full day because it’s the day we arrived. Once we were finished at the airport we took the tube to Paddington Railway Station and checked our luggage there. We walked from there south to Hyde Park. We made our way south south east towards Buckingham Palace and as we got to Wellington Arch, just outside Hyde Park, a detachment of riders from the Blues and Royals rode through the arch, right next to us.

We continued towards the Palace and I noticed that there were a lot of people that way. We had specifically planned not to try to see the changing of the guards. It’s fun to see but it’s a lot of work and a lot of standing about in dense crowds to see it, so we figured we’d give it a miss this time. As it turns out, we got there just as it was finishing up. My internal clock said it was much later than that, but it was just before noon.

From Buck House we walked up St. James Park, taking a break to sit in the shade and rest a bit. Everyone was pretty sleepy and worn out, since at this point we’d been about 27 hours without sleep. We made our way to Trafalgar Square and then on to St. Martin-in-the-Fields, where we had lunch in the cafe in the crypt. The food isn’t very fancy but at that point, filling was more what we were looking for. We also had pretty much unlimited access to water and toilets, two essentials when traveling.

After our lunch, we caught a bus back to Paddington Station, got our bags, and took another bus to our hotel, which was near Notting Hill Gate, just to the northwest of Kensington Gardens. We took naps before going out later for dinner and then came back and called it a day.

* Actually, there were only eleven days when we were seeing sights and on which I took most of my 4,422 photographs. Day 9 we drove from the southwest to the north, day 13 we drove back to London, and day 14 we left. I took 19, 49, and 31 images on those days, respectively and averaged 393 per day on the other eleven days.

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Welcoming The Martins

Rock Creek Church

Rock Creek Church

It’s a pretty exciting time for us. We had a nice, relaxing week at the beach, returning yesterday. Tomorrow we leave for England. But today has excitement of its own. Our church has been without a pastor for over a year. In some ways it’s been a good year. There has been a lot of looking at and assessing needs. It’s also been a fairly hard year in a lot of ways. There has been a lot that needed doing and fewer people to do it. I was blessed to be involved in the pastoral search process. Now, I celebrate along with the rest of the church that God has brought us a new pastor and his family. This is much more of a beginning than and ending and there is plenty still needing to be done, perhaps more than ever, but this is a change I’ve been looking forward to for a good while. Welcome, Martin Family!

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The End of Beach Week

Dorothy and Karlee

Dorothy and Karlee

As I mentioned when I posted the family picture from a few days ago, Karlee has been with us at the beach every time we’ve gone since 2006. Dorothy’s second cousins consider her to be an honorary relative. She’s become so much a part of the family for that week that we don’t so much ask if she can come as assume that she will.

It’s hard to know what will happen next year, as both girls will have graduated from high school. The years after that are even more uncertain, of course, when they are away at college. Time will tell, of course, and Karlee will always be invited.

This photo was one of only a few I took today. We spent the first part of the morning packing and loading the car and then spent most of the day driving home. It’s about 425 miles, including getting Karlee home, and when you add stops and heavy traffic on I95, it’s a pretty long day. I made sure to take a few, though, including this of Dorothy and Karlee, ending beach week.

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Family Beach Photo

Family Beach Photo

Family Beach Photo

Today’s picture is of the portion of our family that was at the beach this year. We missed having Stephen, Maya, and Iris, who have come in recent years. We also missed Brady, George, and Carmela, although they haven’t been, at least not in a long while. But, we did have Karlee, Dorothy, Henry, Cathy, Albert, Dot, Ralph, and Tsai-Hong. While Karlee isn’t technically in our family, she’s been with us at the beach six of the last eight years and we didn’t go to the beach the other two, either.

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Airborne

Airborne

Airborne

Our friend, Dave, took two other friends, Jon and James, up in his plane this afternoon. He had to return the plane to Frederick and get his car, so they flew with him, along with his oldest son, Conor. I drove them to the airport where the plane was and took some pictures of them as they took off. I underestimated how much runway this larger plane needs to take off as compared to the smaller planes that take off so very quickly and easily. They got off the ground just before they got to where I was by the runway. The picture taken right before this is a little better in terms of showing the plane. I was trying to keep up with them as they hurtled towards me and I’m afraid that the framing is a bit off. Still, I like this one because you can see James in the cockpit. Another future pilot, perhaps?

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In Memoriam — Kevin Snider

In Memoriam — Kevin Snider

In Memoriam — Kevin Snider

February 6, 1952 – July 8, 2013

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Guatemala Team

Guatemala Team

Guatemala Team

Dorothy left early this morning for Guatemala early this morning. We dropped her off at Church of Christ at Manor Woods at 2:00 AM and they were off by 2:30, heading to the airport. By the time we were home from church later in the day there was a post on Facebook saying they had arrived safely in Antigua. It’s going to be hard not being able to call and ask her how she is, but we’re looking forward to all the stories she’ll have when she gets home. This is the team, just before the piled into the bus and headed out.

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Cathy and Dorothy

Cathy and Dorothy

Cathy and Dorothy

It was about 10:30 this evening and I hadn’t taken any pictures today. I asked the girls if I could take there picture and I took about a dozen. This one turned out quite well, I think. Others had one or both of them making silly faces, and while they are funny, it’s easy to get tired of silly faces and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of their ordinary smiles.

I love you both, girls.

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Surgery Follow-up

Viki

Viki

As followers of this blog know, I had surgery in May and then again on June 12, just under three weeks ago. I was back in to have the staples removed last week and went in again today for what we all hope will be my last visit. I’m recovering nicely, although I’m still supposed to take it easy.

I don’t like telling people that I hope never to see them again, but when the reason you see them is that you need or are recovering from surgery, that’s a little different. Viki, the nurse at this particular doctor’s office, is very nice and cheerful and was gracious enough to let me take a couple pictures of her, after I told her why I carry my camera everywhere. Thanks, Viki, for making a bad time more pleasant.

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Ben, Michelle, and Their (Lovely) Family

Lilias, Michelle, Hope, Ben, and Yan

Lilias, Michelle, Hope, Ben, and Yan

It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since we saw these lovely folks but when they were here last they were just under a month away from having their second child and now here they are with three! What a wonderful time we had catching up, hearing stories, and reconnecting. And what a beautiful family they are becoming. Lilias is becoming quite the little lady and Yan is cute, if somewhat wary of strangers. Thank you all for giving us a day of your time and God bless you as you follow him.

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Leaving For Summer Camp

Dorothy, Hannah, Kendra, Emma, and Safiya

Dorothy, Hannah, Kendra, Emma, and Safiya

Dorothy and some of her friends left for summer camp this evening. It was a beautiful, warm afternoon and spirits were high as five buses of kids and counselors headed off for West Virginia for five fun-filled days and nights. As usual, I took a few pictures. In this one are, from left to right, Dorothy, Hannah, Kendra, Emma, and Safiya. Have a great time, guys.

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Simone

Simone

Simone

I took some fern pictures this afternoon but fern pictures are pretty easy to come by. Dorothy visited with her good friend Simone this afternoon and I took some pictures of them. Pictures of Simone are considerably harder to come by because Simone lives out of town. Dorothy didn’t particularly like the pictures with both of them, so you get a picture of just Simone. Not that that’s a bad thing, just a thing. Here you are.

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James Imitating Jacob

James Imitating Jacob

James Imitating Jacob

I went to pick up Dorothy this evening and ran into a few old friends, some of whom I haven’t seen in a while. James was there with his grandmother and I took a few pictures of them. She was talking about her newest grandson, Jacob, and told James to show me what Jacob looks like. This is what he did.

Apparently Jacob was a bit of a crier at first but recently he has become interested in everything. He stares around with an amazed expression on his face similar to this one.

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WCA Graduation

WCA Class of 2013

WCA Class of 2013

Our second graduation of the day was at Dorothy’s school, Washington Christian Academy. Because it’s a relatively small school, and because Dorothy is only one year behind these folks, we know most of the graduating class. Rather than post a picture of any one or even any small group of them, I figure I should post something with everyone in it, even if you cannot see their faces. For those of you who follow me via Facebook, I’ll be posting a few pictures there when I get the chance, but for now, here’s a celebratory moment.

Congratulations to Edna, Danielle, Michelle, Michael, Jeff, Reed, Carrie, Jessica, Greg, Rebekah, Libby, Abigail, Erin, Hannah, Madison, Rachael, Lidia, Jake, Lauren, Alex, Connor, Nick, Joe, Jason, Lauren, Dillon, Toni, Amanda, Tyler, Kyle, and Justin.

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Maria’s Graduation

Jean, Maria, and Buck

Jean, Maria, and Buck

We went to two graduation ceremonies today. The first was in Fairfax and was for our friend Maria, shown here with her parents, Jean and Buck. It seems like only yesterday that she was just a little girl and now she’s a beautiful young lady, off to college in the fall. Congratulations, Maria, we are very proud of you, and I know your family is, too. Sorry we couldn’t stay for your party, but we had a second graduation to go to.

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Forever Blowing Bubbles

Hannah Blowing Bubbles

Hannah Blowing Bubbles

We spent an enjoyable evening having dinner in our friends’ barn. It was a really nice time of being with old friends as well as making some new. Dorothy’s friend, Hannah came with us and towards the end of the evening she enjoyed blowing bubbles. This picture has been modified slightly (but only slightly), but it’s how I saw what she was doing. So, think of this as an impressionistic view of Hannah blowing bubbles.

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Ellis Island Experience

Collyn's Second Grade Class

Collyn’s Second Grade Class

Every year the second grade class at our school learns about immigration in the early part of the 20th century. The culmination of their lessons on this is their half-day Ellis Island Experience. They spend most of the morning in a hot, dark, and cramped ship (made of desks in their classroom with the heat turned on). There are various activities during that time but I’m not a part of that so don’t know exactly what. Each student has been given an identity and the history of an immigrant. They are dressed for their roles and have bags with all their earthly belongings.

At about 11:00 AM they arrive at “Ellis Island” and have to face first the medical inspector and then the immigration officer (that’s me). If they are found well enough by the medical inspector and if everything else is in order, they are allowed to enter the united states. In this case the quota for immigrants from Ireland had already been reached and I had to send the Flanagan family home to Ireland. The three boys in the class were not happy about not being able to enter America and they learned first hand why Ellis Island is sometimes known as the Island of Tears.

This photo is the class (including the boys) back on the boat after they were all done, “coming to america.”

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Piano Recital

Piano Recital

Piano Recital

Dorothy had her annual piano recital this afternoon and we enjoyed listening to her play. Her good friend Julia also takes piano lessons from Rhonda and she was right after Dorothy. Actually, I enjoyed all the performers. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, or what, but I find it easier and easier each year to enjoy the music of all levels and not wish it would just end. Well done, everyone. We had a special treat this year. One student, the boy on the right in this photograph, played his piano pieces and then he played a duet with his teacher with her on the piano and him on the clarinet. That was lovely.

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Preston / Hoberman Sphere

Preston / Hoberman Sphere

Preston / Hoberman Sphere

We had a group of folks over this evening, including young Henry, whose photograph has been featured here a few times. We got out some toys for him and the older kids enjoyed showing him this Hoberman sphere. He wasn’t so sure he wanted anything to do with it. Preston, on the other hand, thought it was a lot of fun wearing it on his head.

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Julia’s Graduation

Karen, Bob, Julia, Dorothy, Maureen, Stephen, and Kadie

Karen, Bob, Julia, Dorothy, Maureen, Stephen, and Kadie

Two days ago I showed you Julia’s ceiling. Today, you get Julia and her family (plus a few). We enjoyed the graduation ceremony and are very proud of Julia as she moves into the next phase of her educational career. We’ll miss seeing her quite so often but swill look forward to her visits all the more for her absence.

Well done, Julia. Thanks to you and your family for your love and friendship.

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Misty Mountain Song

Justin, Judah, Maggie, Michelle, Dorothy, and Lee

Justin, Judah, Maggie, Michelle, Dorothy, and Lee

I little short of two weeks ago, the Music Guild at school performed at an event at the school. Dorothy sang three songs in that performance. The first two were sung solo but the third as as part of a group. They sang The Misty Mountain Song from The Hobbit.

The group was asked to sing it again this evening at the middle school band concert, as representatives of the Music Guild. Six of the seven from their first performance were there and are in today’s photograph. From left they are Justin, Judah, Maggie, Michelle, Dorothy, and Lee.

They were practicing in the stairwell and the might have done better to have the audience come into the stairwell to hear them perform. The reverberations from the hard masonry walls produced a very impressive sound. I recorded them once in the stairs and as well as their performance in the auditorium. I think the former was better than the later.

I was listening to various version of the song on YouTube and can recommend this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OiYDUEu3i8.

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Admiring Julia’s Ceiling

Hannah Admires Julia's Ceiling

Hannah Admires Julia’s Ceiling

We have some pretty artistically talented friends and Julia is one of them. She has a particularly beautiful singing voice, she plans the piano and guitar, and she is pretty handy with a pencil and paper (as well as other media). I’m not going to try to illustrate her musical ability here, but instead will pay silent homage to her drawing skills.

The ceiling over her bunk is decorated with sketches and this picture shows another talented friend, Hannah, admiring them. I have enjoyed watching her skills mature as she has grown into a beautiful young lady. I look forward to watching the next phase of her journey, as she heads off to college in the fall.

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Dorothy Rose

Dorothy Rose

Dorothy Rose

Well, we’ve had a lot of rose pictures so to ease us back into the non-rose world, I thought I’d post a picture of Dorothy Rose. Actually, I’m mainly posting this because it is one of only six pictures I took today.

On Sunday I passed photo number 60,000 with this camera. As you probably know, I’ve been taking a picture every day since four days after I got my current camera. As of today I’ve taken 60,045 photos in 886 days and I’ve gone 882 consecutive days taking a picture. That’s an average of just about 68 photos per day. Obviously some days I take a lot more than that. Other days, like today, I take only a handful.

As you might expect, I have almost certainly taken more pictures of Dorothy than of anyone else. Dorothy and her friends are fairly common as subjects of mine.

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Ellen — Grand Jeté

Ellen — Grande Jeté

Ellen — Grande Jeté

I took quite a few pictures this evening but most of them were sort of run of the mill. I asked a couple girls to give me some dance moves that I could photograph and this is what I ended up with. It would have been nice to have a completely blank wall (i.e., without the chair rail) and my focus isn’t perfect, but the timing of the shot turned out well (it was the third of three tries). Thanks, Ellen. Grace, beauty, brains, and heart all in one package.

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Calvin!

Andy and Greta with Henry and Calvin

Andy and Greta with Henry and Calvin

We were overjoyed to get to meet the youngest regular attender at church today. Amazingly, he’s never missed a Sunday. I took one or two pictures and this is by far my favorite. Andy and Greta with nearly-two-year-old Henry and six-day-old Calvin.

It must be nice to be able to look at your parents and not have to worry which one you’re going to look like because you’ll be good looking either way.

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Ellen, Anna, and Jeffrey

Anna

Anna

Ellen

Ellen

Jeffrey

Jeffrey

I didn’t get a chance to take a lot of pictures today, partly because I had to get one of my cars to the shop and I was a little worried that I wouldn’t make it. In the end, I got there without trouble.

A little while later Cathy and Dorothy picked me up and we went to an event at church. Even there, where it isn’t unusual for me to take dozens of pictures, I only took a few. I did get three pictures that I think turned out quite well. It just happens we had some new folks there, including three siblings.

They are Ellen, Anna, and Jeffrey and I won’t say any more, except to say that I hope it works out that they can join our youth group.

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Letters to the Morgans

Letters to the Morgans

Letters to the Morgans

Our first activity this evening at X-Factor was for everyone to write a card to Tommy and Lauren, our dear friends whose son, Gabriel Patrick went to be with our Lord. To Lauren and Tommy, you know how we feel, but in case you are ever tempted to forget, let me say it here, in public. We love you, we love your children, and are thankful to our God for all of your lives. To anyone reading this who doesn’t know them, well, I’m sorry to say that your life is a little darker than it could be because of that lack.

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Ready For the Prom

Ready For the Prom

Ready For the Prom

Dorothy’s school prom was this evening and she was part of a group that went together. Because we have a nice wood in our neighborhood, we decided to go take some pictures there. This is one of a couple bridges we went over and I took quite a few pictures of the kids on and under it. This picture in particular is a favorite of mine, mostly because of the hijinks of Joseph, who is on the left, and also in the middle, and finally again on the right. Fun times.

From left to right: Joseph, Cat, Michelle, Dorothy, Porter, Joseph, Hannah, Maggie, Elijah, and Joseph.

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Hannah

Hannah

Hannah

Dorothy’s good friend, Hannah, was very excited today because she had her braces taken off. She never really stopped smiling because of her braces, at least not so far as I could tell. But, she came home with Dorothy today and was in a very buoyant mood.

I asked if I could take her picture and she obliged, as you can see. Very nice smile, young lady (or “not-daughter,” as I call her).

To add to the excitement, Cathy asked me today if I could remember the name of someone who was in the school play in 2006. I could not but Dorothy remembered it right away — ah, to have a young, uncrowded brain. Before we asked Dorothy, though, and in the hope that I had labeled a photograph with the name, I went back to March 2006 and found pictures but none with the name.

 

Little Hannah

Little Hannah

The exciting thing, though, was that I came across the second picture posted here. It is a picture of Hannah, taken on March 10, 2006. I frankly didn’t have any memory of taking that. Dorothy and Hannah only really became good friends in the last two years or so. I have known that she’s been at the school longer than we have, so it’s not so surprising that she’s in a picture but it’s a pretty good picture, not just a face in a crowd.

This was taken on the lower school’s History Night, sitting on the grass waiting for her mom (or whoever), with her very good friend, Michelle, of whom I also took a photograph.

She hasn’t really changed all that much. I mean, she’s seven years older. But some people when I see pictures from seven years ago I have a hard time recognizing them. Not Hannah.

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The Princess Who Had No Name

Cast Photo

Cast Photo

We spent the better part of the day at the Olney Theatre today, leaving home at about 11:00 AM and not getting home again after the cast party until after midnight. The two performances of The Princess Who Had No Name, by Brian Taylor, went very well and without any drama. Well, there was drama, but only the intended drama.

This is the cast and a nicer bunch of kids would be hard to find. Sure, they can be loud and the can certainly be silly. All in all, I enjoyed my afternoon with them. That’s not to say (1,600+ photos later) I wasn’t glad when it was over.

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School Play

Dot, Dorothy, and Margaret

Dot, Dorothy, and Margaret

The school play opened this evening and Dorothy was pretty well represented, friend and family wise, in the audience. I was there to take pictures and took just over 600 pictures during the show, as well as some before and after. This picture, taken after the show, is of Dorothy and her two grandmothers. Dorothy did well in her part as Gretel and was very glad that she didn’t have to stand in for Goldilocks, who was not feeling at all well. Special thanks to Lauren, who did take on that role and did a terrific job.

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Play Practice

WCA Play Practice

WCA Play Practice

The WCA play is this Friday and Saturday. This week they are practicing at the theatre all week so I came a little early to pick up Dorothy. This is the cast and crew gathered on the stage for some general instruction and comments before they called it a day.

I’m posting this a bit late, after the performances have actually happened, so I won’t bother to invite you to the show. If you came, you know how much fun it was. If you didn’t, you’ll want to plan on being there next year for whatever they get up to.

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I Could Have Saved How Much On My Car Insurance?

Maureen — “I could have saved how much on my car insurance?”

Maureen — “I could have saved how much on my car insurance?”

I picked Dorothy up this evening, as on most Tuesday’s, at Julia’s house. Also as usual, I took a few pictures. Justin was there, so I took some of him. Our favorite, though, was this picture of Maureen. I confess that this is semi-posed. One of us, Dorothy I think, said something and she made that expression. Unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough with my camera so I asked her to to it again. Normally I would not post a picture like this but I asked for permission and she gave it gladly. What a sport.

Maureen said the caption should be, “I could have saved how much on my car insurance?”

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

It’s been a while since I put up a picture of Cathy, so I thought I would, today. We were dropping Dorothy off at a friends house and we got there shortly before the friend got home. As we waited I took a couple pictures of Dorothy and Cathy. This is one of them.

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At the Cosmos

Dorothy and Hannah

Dorothy and Hannah

After a sunrise service and a regular Sunday service (well, a “regular” service with the addition of a 25 piece orchestra), we went with Cathy’s mom and Dorothy’s friend, Hannah, to the Cosmos Club for a late lunch. We didn’t have a table until 3:00 PM and we got there a little early so we had a chance to wander a bit. Dorothy enjoyed showing Hannah, around.

After we ate we went out into the little back garden and I took some pictures of the girls with a beautifully blooming camellia behind them. I also took one of the girls throwing flowers (that they picked up off the ground) at each other. A nice time was had by all.

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Chase and Amelia

Chase

Chase

Amelia

Amelia

My friend and co-worker, Katie, brought her two children to work this morning. I asked Amelia if she would let me take her picture if I went and got my camera and she said that she would. I took a few picture of her before her brother got back. She’s had her picture here before, on Monday, March 05, 2012 and she is a little less shy than a year ago.

When Chase came, I asked her if she’d get him to let me take his picture with her. I think that helped him be a bit more comfortable with a total stranger. We took a few with both of them but frankly, I like the pictures I took of them separately better. They are both quite adorable and we had a fun time.

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Serious Dessert

Dessert, After

Dessert, After

Dessert, Before

Dessert, Before

After a long day of visiting schools, we picked up Cathy at the end of her first of two days of training at the Microsoft office in Malvern. After a short rest we headed to the King of Prussia Mall and found a place to eat. The girls all had burgers of one stripe or another and I had mac and cheese with blackened shrimp, which was very good. Comfort food of the first order.

We were all hungry enough, though, and the desserts looked good enough, that the four of us split two of these brownies with ice cream. Seriously rich, seriously chocolaty, and seriously good. As you can see, the girls had no trouble finishing off theirs. The one Cathy and I shared was treated similarly and we went back to our hotel full, happy, and tired.

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Dorothy and Her Uke

Dorothy and Her Uke

Dorothy and Her Uke

X-Factor has started up again for the spring and once again, I came armed with my camera to take pictures of the youth. Dorothy spent some of the time working on a homework assignment that’s due tomorrow. Fortunately she can draw and socialize at the same time. Later, I got this picture of her relaxing with her ukulele.

Update: Dorothy commented that this isn’t her Ukulele. Sorry for any confusion.

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Dorothy

Dorothy

Dorothy

I took senior portraits for a friend this afternoon. I won’t steal her thunder by publishing one of them now. That’s really her business. Instead, this is a picture of Dorothy that I took at the same location. I hadn’t realized the potential for portraits here before today. I think we’ll be back for more pictures in the weeks and months ahead. Dorothy said that at least one more of her friends would like me to take her pictures, which I’m happy to do, of course.

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Service Awards Dinner

Maureen, Linda, and Cathy

Maureen, Linda, and Cathy

Our company doesn’t bother recognizing 5, 10, or 15 years of service in any particular way (except of course they pay you, which is pretty nice). Because we do well at keeping people for a long time, the first big recognition is at 20 years. Every three years they have a dinner for those who reached the 20 year milestone during the preceding three years. Cathy reached that point about a year ago and was recognized, along with 95 others and 5 who had reached 40 years, at an intimate dinner with about 950 of our closest friends. I brought my camera and took a few nice pictures, including this one of Cathy with two of her fellow honorees, Maureen and Linda.

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Dorothy and Abigail

Dorothy and Abigail

Dorothy and Abigail

Dorothy is blessed with so many friends, I’m just glad I can keep them all straight. Actually, I know most of them reasonably well so it’s not a problem, although I have this probably rational fear that I’ll mislabel someone in a picture. Their self-esteem will plummet, their grades will probably drop, and their whole life will be ruined. Or they’ll be embarrassed, anyway.

In this picture, we have Dorothy and Abigail. I’m not worried about getting the names wrong in this picture, anyway. The two were heading out for a few hours of fun for the afternoon.

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Overtime

Dorothy, Kendra, and Briannah

Dorothy, Kendra, and Briannah

Twice a month (or there abouts) a family opens their home for the youth group at “that other church” that Dorothy sometimes goes to. Actually, it’s one of two “other churches” that she goes to. Anyway, Overtime, as they call it, was this evening and Dorothy went. Rather than simply going to pick her up when the time came, I went a little early so I could take a few pictures, including this one of Dorothy with two of her friends, Kendra and Briannah.

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Simple Machines

Jaynna Gives Collyn a Lift

Jaynna Gives Collyn a Lift

It was my day to come visit the second grade today with a few simple machines. We started off with a little teeter-totter and I showed them how, by moving the fulcrum closer to one end, you can multiply the force supplied. One of the second graders was able to life me off of the ground. Then they each pulled a nail out of a board with a big crow bar. They agreed that it was a lot easier than trying to pull them out by hand. We talked about the threads on a screw and I showed them how threads can be cut but I’m not sure how much they got out of that part. We might skip that next year in favor of an inclined plane (a.k.a. a ramp) and a wedge.

The most fun, as always, was when the students hoisted their teacher up into the air using a block and tackle (pulleys and a rope). A few of them were close to being too light even with their weight being multiplied, but they were all able to get her up to about head height. After they were done, I handed the rope to Collyn and she pulled herself up into the ceiling, which they thought was wonderful. Hopefully they won’t forget the day they picked up their teacher.

Collyn reminded me of the quote of the day, when Jaynna said, “I can’t wait to grow up and be a teacher so that I can do this too!” Perfect.

No teachers were harmed in the making of this photograph.

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Dorothy and Friends

Dorothy and Friends

Dorothy and Friends

I was at the school today to set up for a demo in second grade tomorrow. Dorothy had play practice until 5:00 so I went to take a few pictures of that and then was out in the hall taking pictures of some of the students as they waited for a part of they play in which they were needed. This is, from left to right, Michael, Lauren, Hannah, Dorothy, Garrett, Abigail, Rachael, and Justin. Note that Garret has Abigail on his back and then Rachel on Abigail’s back.

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Urban Bar-B-Que

Urban Bar-B-Que

Urban Bar-B-Que

When you mention barbecue, I suspect that most people don’t think “Maryland!” This isn’t exactly a mecca for BBQ aficionados. With a father from Memphis and a mother from North Carolina, I have a somewhat equivocal view when it comes to what’s best. On the one hand, pulled pork, to me, means North Carolina and I prefer the vinegar based sauces typical of that style. Ribs, on the other hand, make me think Memphis. A good dry rub and proper cooking and they don’t need sauce (although a little for dipping won’t do you any harm). My favorite, though, is tender brisket, cooked long and slow and with just a little sauce after serving. I care less for the overly sweet barbecue that’s dripping with sauce, but that’s not to say I’d turn down a good set of Kansas City ribs.

Anyway, all that is to say that there is a place in Maryland (places, actually) where you can get barbecue the way it was meant to be. On the way home this evening I stopped at Urban Bar-B-Que and picked up dinner. If you’ve never been, I recommend it. Actually, if you have been, I still recommend it. http://www.urbanbbqco.com/

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Collyn and Keith

Collyn and Keith

Collyn and Keith

I freely admit that I have a lot of favorite people. That’s because I know so many wonderful folks that I can’t leave many off the list. Cathy and I were at the school for the benefit auction this evening and as you would expect I took one or two pictures. I got a few that are pretty good but looking through them with Cathy and Dorothy it was unanimous that this was the best. What a cute couple they are. It’s hard to believe it’s already been nearly three years since they got married. I’m glad to say that they are still one of the cutest couples around.

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Dorothy and Julia

Dorothy and Julia

Dorothy and Julia

My Tuesday photographs are starting to all be taken at Dorothy’s friend Julia’s house. Dorothy goes there regularly on Tuesday and unless I’ve already taken pictures that day, I’m sure to get something there. Fortunately they have interesting things about. Not least in terms of interest, is Julia herself. Julia’s mom, Maureen, is not really happy having her picture taken, although she’s appeared twice here. Usually pleas that I not take someone’s picture fall on deaf ears but when the person asking hosts my daughter each week, well, I will try to honor that.

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Reflecting On Kendra and Dorothy

Kendra and Dorothy

Kendra and Dorothy

I took some pictures at BWI airport this afternoon but they aren’t particularly interesting. Better by far to have a couple familiar faces. Familiar to some of you, anyway. I think this picture reflects well on Kendra and Dorothy. I also took a few “selfies— showing my Abe Lincoln beard but they’re just too scary to be made public.

The lighting was a bit tricky because if I aimed the light forward then the wall around the mirror was too bright and if I aimed it backwards then the wall behind the girls was too bright. This one is a little dark but balances the light better than some of the others.

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Watching Downton Abbey

Dorothy and Hannah

Dorothy and Hannah

It’s a festival day at school tomorrow, meaning there is no homework due, so Hannah came home with Dorothy and spent the evening at our house. I was up on a Skype call for most of the time but they watched an episode and a half of Downton Abbey, season 3. No spoilers, please, as Hannah doesn’t know what’s coming (well, she knows some of it but we’re trying to keep the rest mum until we get to it). This is how I found them watching the TV when I came downstairs.

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Kendra and Dorothy

Kendra and Dorothy

Kendra and Dorothy

Dorothy had the day off today and spent much of it with her friend, Kendra. So, when I picked Dorothy up after work, I figured I’d take their picture. This time, you get the somewhat dubious honor of having a picture with Tuffy in it. Now isn’t that something?

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Sunday Morning

Rock Creek Worship Team

Rock Creek Worship Team

For a church as small as ours, we have more than our share of talented musicians, both instrumental and vocal. As a non-musician, I have a lot of admiration for people who can sing or play and it was nice, this morning to see mother and daughter singing together, so Cathy suggested I take a few pictures of them.

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Snow Ball

Anna, Issy, Ashley, Dorothy, and Erin

Anna, Issy, Ashley, Dorothy, and Erin

Every year we have a dance for the parents and other adults affiliated with the school. Dances are not really our thing but it is a fund raiser for the junior class and Dorothy is a junior this year. Fred Astaire I’m not but for those interested, Cathy and I did dance. I took pictures, as well. It’s always hard to pick one picture from an evening like this. Some of the best pictures are often of people I don’t know that well. This one is nice. It’s Dorothy and five of her classmates.

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Shelly, Julia, and Dorothy

Shelly, Julia, and Dorothy

Shelly, Julia, and Dorothy

The youth group got together to watch a movie at the church this evening. The Avengers isn’t exactly Gone With The Wind or The African Queen but it was fun to get together with the young people and hang out.

I took a few pictures while the movie was playing, which wasn’t really appreciated because a flash in a dark room is a bit jarring. After the movie ended and the lights were back on everyone was much more receptive. Even Shelly allowed herself to be talked into getting in a photo.

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X-Day

X-Day Introduction to Programming

X-Day Introduction to Programming

At WCA they have something they call X-Day. It is one day in the third quarter where classes of various kinds are offered. These are things not generally available as part of their regular curriculum but that some students might find interesting. This year, there were classes in cooking, ballroom dancing, cake decorating, and making digital collages. There was a boot camp that was quite popular. Groups of students went to Luray Caverns, the Gettysburg Battlefield, and hiked the Billy Goat Trail below Great Falls. One group went to a local hospital and had literal front row seats (standing, actually) to various surgical procedures from knee to cardiac. I was asked if I could teach an introductory course in computer programming and had twelve students sign up.

The day went pretty well. I introduced programming at a very basic level, talking about concepts common to all languages including variables, operators, and control structures. We talked about syntax and how it varies from language to language. The students wrote some short programs to get a feel for how things work. None of them are ready to go to work as programmers at this point but they left with a decent foundation on which to build, if they so desire. And I had a fun time getting to know a few (potential) future computer scientists.

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Super Bowl Party

Henry

Henry

Our friends, Andy and Greta had the youth from church over for a Super Bowl party this evening. Although I’m not a youth, I was allowed to come because, well, just because, I suppose. I took quite a few pictures of everyone but none of the group pictures really conveys “watching football” and since this is such a cute picture, this will have to do.

Henry has been featured on this little blog thing before, in a post titled Another Henry on December 09, 2012. Let’s be frank, there are a lot of cute kids out there. There may be kids about who are as cute as Henry but you’d be hard pressed to find any cuter.

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Cathy and Jean

Cathy and Jean

Cathy and Jean

The Music Guild at WCA had a coffeehouse this evening, postponed from last Friday when the snow caused the cancellation of evening activities. I took a few photographs at the coffeehouse, or more precisely before the coffeehouse. During the performances I switched over to video and recorded most of them. After it was over, we went to IHOP with some of our friends, including Jean and her daughter, Maria. So, here we have two of my favorite women in the world. Cathy and Jean.

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Kendra

Kendra

Kendra

Dorothy’s friend, Kendra, came over today and they basically hung out. In the afternoon we made them go for a walk with us in the neighborhood. Naturally I brought my camera and, also naturally, Kendra brought hers. She often mugs for the camera but for this picture she actually gave me a very natural smile, which I really appreciate.

I took some other pictures on our walk that I like well enough. I decided not to post them, though, because I decided I’m much more likely to take similar photos in the future. I’ve done this before. I take two or three pictures that I like and I want to pick one of them for the day’s picture. I usually choose the one that I’m least likely to reproduce again and post that. Of course, if I like a different one significantly more, then I’ll post that one. This only applies when a few are at about the same level of likedness.

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Dorothy and Riley

Dorothy and Riley

Dorothy and Riley

Dorothy loves to visit her friend Julia and I can’t say I blame her. The whole family is just fun to be with. On this occasion, they had an extra dog staying with them and today’s picture is of Dorothy and Riley.

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Dorothy, Julia, and Maureen

Dorothy, Julia, and Maureen

Dorothy, Julia, and Maureen

Yesterday I completed my second year of taking a photo a day. This web site contains that second year. My first year was on Facebook and I’ve been meaning to add them here as well. As I start my third year of living photographically (not that I didn’t take pictures before that) I want to take a moment to thank all the friends (and a few strangers) who let me take their photograph. In particular, Dorothy has been very patient with her old dad and her friends have likewise been very good to me. Here we have two of our favorite friends, Julia and her mom, Maureen, with whom Dorothy spent the day.

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Last Moment of 2012

12:59:59 12/31/2012

12:59:59 12/31/2012

The clock in my camera was about a minute and a quarter off from the clock on the television (which was also off when compared to my phone, so it may have been wrong). In any case, as measured by whatever network we were watching, this it the last photo of 2012, taken at 11:59:59. It is, not too surprisingly, very similar to the final photograph I took last year, standing virtually in the same spot and with many of the same people. Thanks to all for making it a memorable year and for putting up with my camera in your face so many times. I’m looking forward to the year ahead.

I also passed a milestone this week, passing the 50,000 mark on my two year old camera. This picture is number 50,132 on my camera. That means I took 22,633 in 2012, down a bit from the 27,263 that I took in 2011.

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Here Be Dragons (and Dinosaurs)

Dinosaur and Dragon

Dinosaur and Dragon

We all know that the map makers of old used to write “Here Be Dragons” in the uncharted areas of their maps. Except of course we’re all wrong. The Lenox Globe (ca. 1510) is only one known instance of a map which actually has that phrase (in Latin — hic sunt dracones). Map makers did, sometimes, fill empty areas with drawings of beasts including dragons and sea serpents, but that’s

Anyway, here we have a picture of not just a dragon but a dinosaur and a dragon! They seem amazingly healthy for extinct or mythical creatures. I found them dancing in my living room and was able to photograph them a few times before they went back into hiding. It pays to carry a camera all the time, even when walking through your own house. You never know what you will come upon.

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Karlee and Dorothy

Karlee and Dorothy

Karlee and Dorothy

I had a pretty quiet day today. Cathy went to work. Dorothy and her cousins took their grandma out to lunch and then went to see the new Les Miserables movie. In the evening I picked her up and we picked up Dorothy’s friend, Karlee and the four of us (Cathy was home from work) went to a little Thai hole in the wall that we really like.

I know this isn’t a great picture but it’s the best of the few I took.

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Christmas, 2012

Christmas, 2012

Christmas, 2012

We had our traditional three-fold Christmas today, starting with our simple Christmas at home with just the three of us. We moved up from that to our favorite breakfast of the year at Cathy’s mom’s house. Pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage along with orange juice and freshly brewed hazelnut coffee. It doesn’t get much better than that.

We went from there to my mom’s where we had our traditional, if somewhat unorthodox enchilada dinner, with plenty of extras. We played our also traditional gift swap game and generally had a good time. We hadn’t taken a picture at Thanksgiving but we did today, which turned out nicely, I think.

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Candle Light Service

Candle Light Service

Candle Light Service

Candle Light Service

Candle Light Service

One of my favorite times of the year is our annual Christmas Eve service. I enjoy the singing, although I try to sit far enough from other so they aren’t bothered by whatever key I happen to sing in. “They asked me to sing tenor… twelve miles away.”

My favorite part of this favorite evening is the candle light song at the end, with the lights down low and everyone holding a lit candle, as we sing (which I guess is what a “candle light song” implies). I took a few pictures, but don’t worry, I was still singing as I did it (although I wasn’t holding a lit candle).

These are my two favorite pictures from the evening. The first has Trish and Ben (although you can only see the top of his head) and some of their family. The second is of two sisters, Sasha and Stasia. Beautiful people, all.

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Brookside’s “Garden of Lights”

Rainbow

Rainbow

Somewhere, under the rainbow, are the friends we went with to Brookside Gardens’ “Garden of Lights” this evening. We can never see enough of Mike and Krystal and it was wonderful to see Sue, Tom and their three children, Daniel, Matthew, and Alyssa again after so long. My how they have grown (the children, Tom and Sue are pretty much unchanged). We were also happy to get to know Mike’s mom a little bit. What a joyful person she is. Thank you so much for including us in the party.

I took a lot of pictures, as you would probably expect, most of which were intentionally blurry. In general I find pictures of Christmas lights to be rather boring, even when they are pretty in real life. This picture was a bit tricky because I wanted to balance the flash lighting the people with the lights making up the rainbow. It turned out just about right.

After we left the garden we want back to Mike and Krystal’s for pizza and a fun time of chatting, laughing, and basically having a good time.

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Live Nativity

Live Nativity

Live Nativity

We had a great time this evening at our friends’ annual living nativity party. We gathered in their barn, which was chilly but at least out of the wind, had a pot luck dinner, and went through the Christmas story. As the various characters were mentioned in the story, anyone dressed for the part went to the front, adding to the pageantry. Christmas carols appropriate for each portion of the story were sung so everyone was involved, dressed for the part or simply watching. In this picture, there are four Marys, which isn’t strictly speaking accurate (that is, there was only one in the true story) but it was fun for the girls involved. There is also a pig and a monkey in the stable with them, which my not be completely accurate, either. No matter.

After the Nativity story was finished, we went into the warm house for cookies, a visit from Santa, and a chance to catch up with friends.

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D, D, and P

Preston

Preston

We had the X-Factor Christmas Party this evening and I took quite a few pictures. There are a lot of good pictures to choose from. Actually, I’ve been meaning to post another bunch of pictures of people onto Facebook but frankly, there are way too many to do that. I pulled out people pictures from August through November and realized I was going to have to throw out a lot of good pictures to cut down the pictures from nearly 1,900 pictures to few enough for a Facebook gallery.

Anyway, of the pictures I took tonight, we liked this picture of Preston the best. He’s always been quite photogenic and with good looking parents, he definitely won the genetics lottery. Now, he has gotten old enough that he actually sits still for long enough that I can get his picture. Here he is modeling the slippers he got in the Yankee Swap gift exchange game. They were subsequently taken from him but he got them back later, so he ended up with them, which made him happy.

D and Donna

D and Donna

Since I have a good picture of him, I thought it would be a good excuse (like I need one) to post a picture of his parents, D and Donna.

In this picture you don’t get the pleasure of seeing Donna’s beautiful smile but that’s life (“that’s what all the people say”). The picture makes me smile. Guys, we love you and are so glad we have you working with our youth.

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Hannah and Dorothy

Hannah and Dorothy

Hannah and Dorothy

School is out for Christmas break but Cathy and I still had to go to work today. Dorothy was able to spend the day with her friend Hannah. By the evening when I went to pick Dorothy up, I still hadn’t taken any pictures. I asked if I could come in and take a few pictures of them. They were nice enough to let me. Most of the pictures are of them mugging in various ways but this one turned out very well. I’m not sure what Hannah’s hat is in aid of, although it was raining quite hard outside.

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Christmas Caroling

Christmas Caroling

Christmas Caroling

Suzy, Fiona, Trish, and Cathy

Suzy, Fiona, Trish, and Cathy

A few folks from church had an idea for doing a little Christmas caroling this year, took the initiative to get it organized and seem to have started a tradition. Rather than simply walk through a neighborhood singing the plan was to rig up a trailer behind a pick-up truck. The back of the truck would have the drum set and room (just barely, as it turned out) for guitar and base players. At the front of the trailer was a keyboard. The rest of the trailer was set up for the singers, sitting back to back on bales of straw. The whole thing, pick-up truck and trailer, were lined with Christmas lights.

Taking flash pictures of Christmas lights is a bit tricky, particularly when they are moving. The flash is so much brighter than they are that they disappear. The first picture here does a decent job of showing you the lights, although it isn’t a great picture of the carolers. The second is a bit better, showing Suzy, Fiona, Trish, and Cathy. On the right you can see Dave holding a flashlight for Amanda on the keyboard.

Everyone had a fun time and it sounds like something we’ll want to do again next year. Put it on your calendar now and don’t miss it.

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Another Henry

Henry

Henry

I don’t know a lot of other people named Henry. At times it has been a popular name but there don’t seem to be a lot of people my age with the name. I don’t know if this is enough of a sample to say the name is coming back into fashion, but I photographed two little boys named Henry in as many days. Yesterday there was a couple with two children and the younger of the two was a Henry. Then there is this Henry, who has been coming to our church for a little while (with his parents, of course). This isn’t the best picture I’ve ever taken of him but it’s the best I got today. He’s a wonderfully cute little boy. It helps to win the genetic lottery and have attractive parents.

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Cute Kids

???, Elizabeth, and Elsie

???, Elizabeth, and Elsie

Elizabeth

Elizabeth

After the dreary morning yesterday, I was a little afraid that today would be a washout. Instead I woke to a beautiful day and it only got better as the day went on. I spent much of the day at a craft sale at Rocklands Farm, offering my cards and prints to whoever was interested. I’m sure the gorgeous weather played a part in making it a pretty successful day. Not only that but I got to see friends whom I see far too infrequently. Finally, there were a host of cute kids there and for the most part they were happy to pose for pictures.

In the first picture, I’m not sure of the name of the girl on the left but the other two are Elizabeth and Elsie. I’m fortunate enough to know their parents and I’ve photographed both of them before. The three girls were using some of Janis’ wreath making supplies to make themselves a bit more more festive.

The second picture is another of Elizabeth, modelling a hat. I was impressed with the pot holders that Elizabeth had made for the craft sale. She stood with her wares and happily pocketed the money earned. What an adorable girl she is.

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Holiday Party

Katie and Ilene

Katie and Ilene

We had our group holiday lunch/party/thing this afternoon and I took a few pictures. It’s a little weird. Some places I go, people are not used to seeing me without my camera. Other places, they are not surprised when they see me taking pictures, although I don’t always have it in front of my face. Work, however, is the other way ’round. I do go outside at lunchtime some days to take pictures and a few people are used to seeing that. On occasion friends and co-workers will have their children at work and I often get to take pictures of them (the children). But it’s pretty rare for me to be snapping pictures of my co-workers themselves. This is the second year the small group I work in has gone to the party with this larger group at work and I only really know a small fraction of them, which adds to the weirdness, I suppose.

That’s a long-winded way of saying, this is a picture of two of my co-workers, taken at our holiday party/lunch/thing — Katie on the left, Ilene on the right.

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Downside Up

Hannah

Hannah

It would have been better if we had a bit more room but this evening Dorothy’s good friend Hannah was doing one-hand cartwheels and I took a few pictures. I think this is the best of them because it looks as though she is standing still on one hand. She’s actually moving from right to left in this picture.

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The Hannahcapades

Hannah On Ice

Hannah On Ice

Some Of Hannah's Fans

Some Of Hannah’s Fans

Dorothy’s friend, Hannah, has been skating since she was seven years old. Dorothy has seen her skate before but I hadn’t, so when she announced that she’d be performing today, I thought it would be good to come. Dorothy wanted to be there, as well, and we heard that a bunch of other friends from school were planning to be there. The first picture for today is one of quite a few that I took of her on the ice. I don’t have a lot of experience with photographing skating. Also, it’s not all that bright in the indoor rink (and it was dark outside in any case). In order to get a fast enough shutter speed I needed to set my camera’s ISO to 6,400. That let me shoot at f/3.5, so I had a little depth of field and 1/800 second. I got a few pictures that I’m happy with and a bunch that are not very good. Sorry it is so grainy, but that’s life. Hannah, on the other hand, was lovely throughout and all her fans were happy to cheer for her when she was finished.

The second photo is some of those fans. This is actually probably about half the people who came specifically to see her. They are, from left to right, back: Jessie, Libby, Dorothy, Cat, Louie, Hannah, Abagail, Brandon. Front: Tyler, Alex, Kyle, Connor, and Garrett.

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Iris, Tsai-Hong, Ralph, Maya, and Stephen

Iris, Tsai-Hong, Ralph, Maya, and Stephen

Iris, Tsai-Hong, Ralph, Maya, and Stephen

After two days of Thanksgiving, we had a somewhat unexpected extension into a third day when Stephen and Maya invited us to their new apartment for brunch. They have a nice apartment not too far from their work and close to all of us, which is nice. Here’s a picture of them with with the rest of the family.

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Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving, 2012

Thanksgiving, 2012

Although less thankful that we should be, we are nonetheless thankful. It’s true that we should be and indeed are thankful every day of the year, it is right that we set aside one day specifically for the purpose of being thankful. We were fortunate, this year, to have guests with us as we celebrated and gave thanks at Cathy’s mom’s house. On the left are Josh, Diana, and Jake. On the right are Kendra, Dorothy, Marge, and Cathy. Margaret is at the head of the table.

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A New Song

Kendra and Dorothy

Kendra and Dorothy

Cathy and Dorothy picked up Kendra and I met them at Cathy’s mom’s house after work. They helped cut bread for stuffing, peeled potatoes, and made jello for tomorrow’s meal. When they were done working, Kendra and Dorothy sat at the piano and made up songs. You won’t hear any of them on the radio any time soon but we enjoyed their efforts (for the most part).

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Ben and Trish

Ben and Trish

Ben and Trish

Two of my favorite people were leading the singing together this morning in church. Do I describe a lot of people as “of my favorite people?” If so, then I guess it just shows how fortunate I am! I don’t know if it is Ben that picked the songs or if they are picked because he’s leading. Either way, I especially like having Ben lead because of the songs we sing when he does. Thanks, guys (and the rest of the team, as well).

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WCA Bazaar

Maggie and Hannah

Maggie and Hannah

Marilyn with Sky

Marilyn with Sky

Today was the Christmas bazaar at Dorothy’s school. I didn’t spend a lot of time taking pictures because I had a table and was selling them, instead. I’ve done that before and had quite varied success. I’d have to go back and check but I think this was my best year so far. That was due at least partly to my excellent location (thanks, Cathy).

Over the course of the last few weeks I went through all the pictures I’ve taken in the last year or so and pulled out some that I thought people would like. I made cards and matted 5×7 inch prints of them. If anyone wants an 8×10, naturally I can do that. I still had cards and matted 5×7 and 8×10 inch prints of older pictures, of course. I had questions from two different people about making larger prints of a few, so you never know.

The first of these, Maggie and Hannah horsing around, was taken from behind my table. Cathy manned the booth for a little while to let me get out and take a few pictures. That’s when I got the second of them, of Marilyn, not exactly horsing around, but…

I also took a couple pictures of Maggie (from the first picture) with Marilyn’s palomino, named Diamond. I’ll post one of those along with a few other pictures from the day on Facebook.

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The Doodler

Dorothy the Doodler

Dorothy the Doodler

I often doodled in school and I still occasionally find myself drawing during meetings. Most of my doodles are either random shapes or very poor drawings of people. I would love to be able to sit in a meeting and draw actual people from the room. As it is, I usually hide my doodles and they eventually find their way to the shredder. Once in a while I’ll come up with something worth keeping (and the bar isn’t even all that high).

Dorothy is also a doodler but her doodles are of a much (much) higher caliber than her old papa’s. For a good while now she has carried around a small book that has become her journal. In it are notes and doodles intermixed. This isn’t that book but another that she happened to have with her today. The outside cover is nicely decorated. Yes, she’s making a bit of a face here, but it’s not a bad picture of her, and the notebook is nice.

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Rock Creek Church

Rock Creek Church

Rock Creek Church

During our Sunday School time this morning we gathered to put together donated food to go to Manna Food Center for their Smart Sack program. This was organized by Erick’s Hope and our good friends, Donna and Richard Brown. We gathered briefly in the church lobby to fellowship and I asked if everyone could get together for a picture. They said yes, and here it is.

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Lancaster Dutch Market

Pretzels and Sausage Rolls

Pretzels and Sausage Rolls

Dorothy and I went up to the Lancaster County Dutch Market this morning. Mostly I go there for the butcher shop, which has a nice assortment of meats, both processed (e.g., sausage, etc.) and not. We also bought a few cheeses. Dorothy asked me to buy half of a broccoli and cheese pie, which I did (and boy, was it good). Of course, we can’t really go to there without buying sausage rolls. Their pretzels are good, but unless you aren’t into sausage, I really recommend the sausage and Cooper sharp cheddar rolls. They are excellent!

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I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles

Dorothy Blowing a Soap Bubble

Dorothy Blowing a Soap Bubble

Dorothy was cleaning up after having baked some cookies and while she was washing off the cooling rack she noticed that she could use it as a bubble wand. They didn’t “release” well. Still, as you can see in this picture, they got to be pretty good sized.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

Dorothy was out at youth band practice and Cathy and I were sitting on the couch chatting. I had my camera near by (surprise!) and I picked it up and started taking pictures of her. I had my 100mm lens so I was only getting her face. Then I got up and changed lenses to something more suitable to the close quarters. Cathy sat on the end of the sofa and I took a bunch more. In some of them she made faces but I like this one best. It’s just a relaxed pose, with her feet up on the back of the sofa.

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Rogue Turtle

Dorothy

Dorothy

I don’t really have much to say about this picture. It is of Dorothy, obviously. She has her back pack on with a blanket over it and she was saying she was a turtle, for some reason, which I don’t fully understand.

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That’s Not a Cello

Dorothy On A Violin

Dorothy On A Violin

Dorothy picked up a violin today and started playing it tentatively. Of course, she’s never played the violin and after a short while she said something to the effect of, “I just can’t play holding it like this, it’s just wrong.” Then she turned it down and played it like a very small cello. She did reasonably well, actually, all things considered.

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Starlings

Starlings

Starlings

Are you a fan of starlings? Or do you see them as a curse, a thorn in the farmers’ side? Randy Stonehill, one of my favorite singers, used them as a metaphor for those we prefer not to see. “She was sitting on a curb by the Seven Eleven.” There are songs that make me laugh. There are songs that make me sing. This is a song that can make me cry. Not a comfortable song, but very beautiful, somewhat like the starlings.

Say a prayer for the starlings
A hot, dry wind beats their ragged wings
Have a thought for the starlings
No one ever listens to the songs they sing
Say a prayer for the starlings
There’s no welcome for them anywhere
Leave some crumbs for the starlings
They say that Winter will be cold this year

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Orion

Orion

Orion

I’ve got three posts for today with pretty varied subjects. The first is Orion, the son of a coworker. He wouldn’t smile for me, which is understandable. I know I’m a little scary looking to kids who don’t know that I’m mostly a Teddy bear. Even his “I’m not sure about this man” look it adorable, though. Thanks (and thanks to your mom) for the visit, you really brightened up my day.

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A Long Day At The MVA

Dorothy, Passing The Test

Dorothy, Passing The Test

Or should I title this, “get off the road!” We spent a relaxing (not!) five hours at the MVA but at the end of it all, Dorothy was awarded a permit to drive a motor vehicle (with considerable and reasonable restrictions). She got her learner’s permit. Woohoo!

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Dorothy’s Birthday Party

Most Of The Party Guests

Most Of The Party Guests

Well, we did it. We planned and gave a surprise party for Dorothy. Lots of people say that don’t want a surprise party. Dorothy meant it. We did it anyway and she wasn’t particularly happy with us. Still, look at how many friends she has. And of course there were others who couldn’t be there (and a few who had to leave before I took this picture). It was a beautiful, cool, breezy day and everyone, except possibly Dorothy, had a good time. Thank you all for coming.

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The Girls In My Life

Dot, Dorothy, Margaret, and Cathy

Dot, Dorothy, Margaret, and Cathy

For Dorothy’s 16th birthday we went out to dinner with her two grand mothers. Here are the four girls in my life, my mom, daughter, mother-in-law, and wife. I’m a very fortunate man.

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Kendra, Briannah, and Dorothy

Kendra, Briannah, and Dorothy

Kendra, Briannah, and Dorothy

Kendra’s mom to Kendra, Briannah, and Dorothy to Merriweather Post Pavilion to see (and hear) Gotye in concert. It was a bit cool and they got rained on but were able to move into the pavilion, which was nice. They ended up with very good seats and had a great time.

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Angie and Solomon

Angie and Solomon

Angie and Solomon

Sadly this is six days late for International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Anyway, Solomon paid a visit to Angie’s kindergarten class today. They are learning about pets and how to take care of them. If I was going to help, it was either Solomon or a fish. He did very well. He didn’t freak out and no one got bit, which is good. After all the kids were gone Angie posed with him on her shoulder, which I thought was pretty brave. They look good together. Avast, me hearties!

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National Honor Society

National Honor Society Inductees

National Honor Society Inductees

Dorothy was one of ten students inducted into the National Honor Society today. Naturally we were proud of her. Here is a picture of all ten with the one returning student who was inducted last year. Well done, ladies.

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Maydot and Lexi

Maydot and Lexi

Maydot and Lexi

We got a text last night from our friend, Jean, saying her daughter, our god-daughter, Lexi, was going to be running in a cross country meet this morning not too far from us. Cathy had a soccer game so she couldn’t go but I did and saw Lexi run. She did a good job and improved her time but considerable. I was also happy to see our good friend Amy and was able to cheer on her son, Jon, who finished in eighth place in the boys race. This picture is of Lexi (on the right) and her friend, Maydot (I’m not sure of the spelling).

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Dorothy And The Seniors

Hannah, Lauren, Michelle, Michael, Libby, Abigail, and Dorothy

Hannah, Lauren, Michelle, Michael, Libby, Abigail, and Dorothy

Despite the significant storm that rolled through just before 4:00 PM today, the school picnic went on as planned. It was mostly indoors but our spirits were not dampened. As expected, I took a few pictures, including this one of Dorothy (on the right) with some of her senior friends (from the left), Hannah, Lauren, Michelle, Michael, Libby, and Abigail.

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Dorothy, Hannah, and Kendra

Dorothy, Hannah, and Kendra

Dorothy, Hannah, and Kendra

There isn’t a lot that can be said about this picture other than it’s so nice that Dorothy has such great friends. Since there isn’t a lot else to say, I won’t say a lot else.

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Friends Over For Dinner

Cathy, Dorothy, and Margaret

Cathy, Dorothy, and Margaret

We had our wonderful friends, Krystal and Mike, over for dinner this evening, along with Cathy’s mom (who is much more than a friend, of course). They don’t like having their picture taken, however, so, although I took a few pictures of them, I’m posting one without them. So, if you know them, just imagine them off to the right, ready to eat.

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Heading Back To College

Lyla, Eshe, and Stephanie

Lyla, Eshe, and Stephanie

It was nice to have a few of our college-age students with us at church this morning. Here are three of them who will be heading off tomorrow — Lyla, Eshe, and Stephanie.

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Going Ape

Treetop Adventure

Treetop Adventure

We spent the morning today with my family at the Go Ape course at Lake Needwood in Rock Creek Regional Park. I was fun and everyone had a good time, although I won’t deny that there were a few moments when some of our group were less sure they really wanted to be there. Here is a picture of Dorothy, having crossed one of the longer bridges and ready to move on to the next, which as one of the trickier crossings with hanging platforms that swung a bit. That’s not to say any of it was really hard. Since you are firmly attached to an overhead cable, you can always just sit down and pull yourself across. But you can make it more challenging by taking your weight off that tether and pretending it isn’t there.

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Iris

Iris

Iris

Since I posted a picture of Stephen, I thought I’d post one of his sister Iris, as well. With Ph.D.s for parents and older brother, she decided to change things up and is well on her way to an M.D.

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Our Favorite Creative Anachronist

Sir Stephen

Sir Stephen

Have you heard of the Society for Creative Anachronism? According to the blurb on their web site:

The SCA is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. Our “Known World” consists of 19 kingdoms, with over 30,000 members residing in countries around the world. Members, dressed in clothing of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, attend events which feature tournaments, royal courts, feasts, dancing, various classes & workshops, and more.”

Well, our nephew Stephen is one of them. This is him, sporting the armor he made (the metal helmet was purchased) working with his slapping dummy (see The Master of Disguise). I think I’ll leave it at that, except to say that his armor, while not necessarily enough for actual edged weapons, was pretty impressive. Oh, and perhaps it should be pointed out that in addition to dressing up like a medieval knight, he recently earned a doctorate in biostatistics.

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Back To School Party

Gabby and Dorothy

Gabby and Dorothy

Dorothy was not happy about going to the back-to-school class party. She said a back-to-school party is like a wake for summer, which I suppose it is. Still, we went. As usual, I took pictures. I’ll post a few more on Facebook when I get the chance but my photo for the day is one of Dorothy and Gabby.

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At Rocklands

Dorothy, Cathy, Diana, and Janis

Dorothy, Cathy, Diana, and Janis

It’s been a while since we have been out to see our friends at Rocklands Farm so when I got a message from Janis asking if we wanted to come for the evening we were delighted. There were some of the young and beautiful dancing and having a nice visit with each other and then there were the people we knew. Actually, I chatted with and even took pictures of the others but not many and it would be a little creepy if I posted a picture of people I don’t know. Not that I haven’t done it before but I decided to be non-creepy this time.

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Joel and Margaret

Joel and Margaret

Joel and Margaret

There are people we see all too infrequently and these are two of them. Since they spend much of their time overseas it is understandable, of course. I was wondering how we’d be able to make time to see them this summer when I got an e-mail saying they would be heading our way this week and would like to see us. Naturally I was thrilled.

So, for those of you looking for more bees or butterflies, sunsets or flowers, sorry, it’s just another picture of people. But such people as this…

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Three Sisters

Ellen, Katie, and Hannah

Ellen, Katie, and Hannah

Here’s another photo that doesn’t need much description. The three beautiful daughters of Stuart and Donna.

From left to right, Ellen, Katie, and Hannah.

Thanks for letting us intrude when Hannah came home for a few days.

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Getting Ready To Paint

Julia and Dorothy

Julia and Dorothy

If it’s worth doing, it’s worth taking your time and doing it right. On the other hand, we have a tendency to stretch things out a bit more than they absolutely need to be stretched out. Case in point. We started stripping the wallpaper in Dorothy’s room in July 2010 although it wasn’t until January of this year that we really got most of it down. Anyway, Julia came over and they worked on washing the last of the wallpaper glue off the last wall. That one needs the most work with the spackle because the wallpaper had been put directly on the drywall and the paper layer was pretty torn up. We’re making progress now, though.

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Rachel and Rick

Rachel and Rick

Rachel and Rick

Two of the nicest people I know and a third of one of the nicest families I know. That’s saying a lot, because I know a lot of nice people. This is Rachel and her dad, Rick, who I don’t get to see nearly often enough.

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Collin’s Farewell

Collin's Colorful Coif

Collin’s Colorful Coif

Collin has been the middle-school director at Fourth Church but is moving, with his lovely wife, to the south and the next stage in their journey. They will be missed greatly. A farewell party was held for him (and for them) this evening. He’s a pretty good sport and let the kids color his hair a bit. Bon voyage, Collin and Kristen.

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Dorothy and Friends

Cat, Simone, Dorothy, and Julia

Cat, Simone, Dorothy, and Julia

In addition to having the Craigs, et al, over (see previous post), Dorothy had a few local friends here. I took some pictures of them after most of the others had left so I thought I’d post one of those, as well.

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The Craigs Visit

Brian, Ginger, Kristine, and Brandon

Brian, Ginger, Kristine, and Brandon

Since we were away until yesterday afternoon, we were glad to have our good friends the Craigs over this evening. A few other friends who also missed seeing them over the weekend were able to come and it turned into a bit of a party. It wasn’t completely without incident (wait for tomorrow’s photo!) but what joy to have them in our home, even for a little while. How we miss them.

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Family Beach Photo

Family Photo

Family Photo

As we usually try to do when any number of us gather for any occasion, we took a group picture before leaving the beach. It’s not a full family picture, like Uncle George got, but we got what we got. We had a nice time at the beach and I for one enjoyed the varied weather we had. I could hope for temperatures about ten degrees cooler but this is southern North Carolina and it’s going to be warm in the summer. That’s life and worth it for family.

Note that we did not all wear the same outfit. We are not even color coordinated or arranged by height or age. This is just a family picture, taken as we are. Thank you.

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Looking For Shells

Looking For Shells

Looking For Shells

No trips anywhere today. Just a relaxed day at the beach. In the afternoon we took a walk up the beach to the pier and back. This is Dorothy and Cathy walking back to our house, looking for shells.

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In The Lion’s Jaws

Dorothy and Karlee

Dorothy and Karlee

We took a trip up to Carolina Beach today because Cathy’s mom was there with some of her friends. We saw this on the way and I stopped as we passed it coming home so that Dorothy and Karlee could pose in the lion’s mouth.

This is the entrance to the Tregembo Animal Park (http://www.tregemboanimalpark.com/). According to their web site (so it must be true!) it is “South Eastern North Carolina’s oldest zoo. The Tregembo family has owned and operated the zoo in the same location for over 50 years.” Of course it was closed when we were there, but it was worth stopping for the picture, anyway.

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James Madison University

Karlee, Dorothy, and Duke Dog

Karlee, Dorothy, and Duke Dog

I’m over a week behind posting pictures but rest assured that I have pictures from every day and will post them here, hopefully two or three a day until I get caught up.

On Friday, July 27 we left at about 9:00 AM for a week at the beach. Normally we go on Saturday but we decided to leave a day early and visit Glen Orchard on the way. I’ll make a separate post about that, with a picture or two, but because of that change of route, we decided to stop at James Madison University on the way. Dorothy and Karlee posed with Duke Dog. Not being one who follows college sports to any great extent, I didn’t even know that their team was called the Dukes nor that their mascot was Duke Dog. Apparently, the name came from the president of the college, Samuel P. Duke, in 1947.

R and M

R and M

We spent about an hour walking around the beautiful campus, going through a few buildings, and listening in on but not actually joining up with the “official” tours that were being led around the campus. It really is a nice looking school and even for non-Virginia residents is a reasonably priced school (if any school can be called reasonably priced these days — personally, I’d be happy if the higher education bubble would burst already).

As we were walking by the stadium, we noticed that two letters were missing from the “Bridgeforth Stadium” sign so Dorothy and Karlee volunteered to stand in for those letters.

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Stephen Moves Back

Stephen and Dorothy, Empty U-Haul

Stephen and Dorothy, Empty U-Haul

My nephew, Stephen, moved back from Boston today. He and Maya will be staying with his parents until they find a more permanent place to live as Stephen begins his post-doc. It’s nice to have them in town again.

Welcome home, Steve and Maya.

After work I went to help with the last of the unloading and took this picture of the newly minted Dr. Hartley and Dorothy, sitting in the empty U-Haul.

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Cathy and Black-eyed Susans

Cathy and Black-eyed Susans

Cathy and Black-eyed Susans

I know I’m a bit behind posting these but I’m trying to catch up from being away for a week. Anyway, I didn’t take many pictures on the 24th of July but Cathy posed behind some black-eyed Susans for me so that’s what you get.

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Some New Friends

Craig, Vicky, Dorothy, and Eli

Craig, Vicky, Dorothy, and Eli

On day four of the Momentum conference, Dorothy made some new friends from Ohio.

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Ninja Skills

Timothy

Timothy

I think most of us know a ninja or two but we may not know that we know them. I know a few people with ninja skills and Timothy is one of them, running on an almost vertical wall as though it were flat ground. It’s nothing to him.

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Momentum Youth Conference, Day Two

Stephanie, Autumn, Kim, Jared, Ted, Danny, and Donna

Stephanie, Autumn, Kim, Jared, Ted, Danny, and Donna

On the second full day of the Momentum Youth Conference I took a picture during the morning staff meeting of our table. Donna’s niece and her husband were at the conference with four other adult leaders and we sat with them each morning. I’ve labeled them clockwise in this picture but I’m not 100% sure of all the names.

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Momentum Youth Conference, Day One

A Mustache with Appeal

A Mustache with Appeal

It was a very busy day today. One thing about us going to a conference for the first time, especially one that’s been going on annually for so many years, is that while a lot of people know what’s going on, we didn’t, really. We managed to get everywhere when we needed to but it takes a while to get the rhythm of things. By the end of our first full day, I think we are in much better shape than we were yesterday or this morning.

One of the sponsors/partners of the conference is Lancaster Bible College. They had a friendly little competition this week where people would put on fake mustaches and send them pictures. This was Dorothy’s submission. It was good enough for a free t-shirt and it flashed on the big screen later today as a plug for the competition.

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Momentum Youth Conference, Day Zero

RCC Team

RCC Team

Donna R. and I took these nine teens to Richmond, Kentucky today for the Momentum 2012 youth conference. We left at about 5:30 and covered 520 miles in just over 10 hours including a few brief stops. Traffic was light, the weather was hot but otherwise nice for driving and the kids had a good time on the ride. I have a picture of the whole team but this is a picture that I took with just the kids. The church collected school supplies, which is what the boxes are. More on that later this week.

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Dinner Out

Cathy, Brian, Ginger, and Sam

Cathy, Brian, Ginger, and Sam

We had a nice dinner out this evening with Brian, Ginger, and Sam. Since I hadn’t yet taken any pictures and since I didn’t take any others before the day was done, this is my picture for the day. Thanks guys. It was nice visiting with you all.

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Gifford Pinchot State Park

The hiking group on a large boulder near Lake Pinchot

The hiking group on a large boulder near Lake Pinchot

We spent the night at Gifford Pinchot State Park with some friends. Since Kimia was with us, we had a bit of rain, but since she helped plan the trip, it’s not like it was unexpected. Some got fairly wet but Cathy and I were dry enough. After breakfast we decided to take what turned out to be an 8.5 mile hike around Lake Pinchot. Here’s what the park web site has to say about the trail:

Lakeside Trail: 8.5 miles, most difficult hiking
This is the longest and most scenic trail in the park. It may be accessed from all major use areas of the park. Walking time is five to six hours. Many parts of the trail are easy walking with gravel surfaces, but some of the remote sections are narrow with uneven footing and wet in other places. Many hikers combine portions of this trail with other trails like Alpine, Gravel, Oak and Quaker Race to make shorter loops.

We had thought it was only about 6 miles, so that extra 2.5 was not particularly welcome. Still, it was a pretty hike and except for the bit where we got off onto a fisherman’s track instead of the main trail, it wasn’t particularly difficult walking. There were some ups and downs but nothing very steep or long. After about 6 miles, when we were starting to get a tired, we got to the Quaker Race Day Use Area, which is across the lake from the campground. We had been around the long end of the lake and had the near end left to go. We bought cold treats and rested a bit. My legs were a bit tired but the real problem was that my back was bothering me quite a bit. I decided, discretion being the better part of valour, that I would wait there and have someone come back and pick me up. Thanks for having pity on an old man, Nancy.

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Setting Up Camp

Cathy and Our Tent

Cathy and Our Tent

After work we went up to Pennsylvania and met some friends to camp for the weekend. I hadn’t taken any pictures today so after we got our tent up, just as it was getting dark, I took a few. This is Cathy in front of our tent. What you cannot see in this picture is the 31 foot RV just out of the picture on the right. I don’t know that I can quite consider that “camping” but that doesn’t mean I don’t see the advantages. I see the advantages in staying in a hotel, for that matter. Having the RV there was a nice in terms of refrigeration, stove, and water and of course, if it rained too hard, we could have gotten in out of it.

Oh, wait…

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Baby Noah

Ryan, Melissa and Noah

Ryan, Melissa and Noah

We were fortunate enough to have our good friend Diana over this evening, along with her first grandchild (oh, two of her sons and her daughter-in-law were there, as well). Actually it was great to have them all over, along with Krystal and Mike. But it was especially nice to meet baby Noah, who is an adorable little boy.

I got a pretty good picture of him with Diana, as well, but I figured she’d prefer to see Ryan and Melissa instead of herself. What a beautiful family.

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Dorothy, Simone, and Lexi

Dorothy, Simone, and Lexi

Dorothy, Simone, and Lexi

We got to have lunch with some of our best friends today, including Simone and Lexi. What a treat that was.

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A Hot Fourth

Roasted Chicken

Roasted Chicken

It’s not particularly uncommon for the Fourth of July to be a very hot day, often with a thunderstorm thrown in for good measure. There was no thunderstorm this afternoon but it was certainly hot, about 100°F here. We are thankful that we did not lose power in Friday night’s storm. We pretty much stayed in indoors all day today. I decided to roast two chickens, stuffed with a rice pilau. They turned out quite well, if I say so myself. They were basted with a garlic and lemon sauce and were very flavorful. The rice had currents, almonds, and onions and was flavored with allspice.

Making Ice Cream

Making Ice Cream

Although the chickens were very good, there’s no question that the highlight of the evening was the homemade ice cream. Normally it’s something you’d do outside but it was so hot, we figured we’d stick to the inside for that, too. Our power went out just as the ice cream was getting good and thick. We decided it was close enough to being done that we’d take the paddles out and cover it with ice to harden up a little more. Thankfully, the power was only out for a few minutes, so all was well. The ice cream was as good as I remember it. Family members will know what I mean when I say it tasted like 1414.

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Surprise!

Timothy

Timothy

There was a surprise birthday party today for Timothy. Unfortunately it started while I was still at work so I wasn’t there for the “SURPRISE!” part. When I did get there I asked Timothy to look surprised for a picture and this is what I got.

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Church In The Yard

Outdoor Church Meeting

Outdoor Church Meeting

Because of the damage from the storm Friday night much of the area is without power. When our church is without electricity it is not only without light and air conditioning, it is also without running water and toilet facilities. Rather then “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:24-25) we met in the back yard of one of our families. Special thanks to Amanda and Dave for their hospitality and willingness to host us all. Thanks also to everyone who came, in spite of the heat, and worshiped with us.

We are not a particularly formal church to begin with but as you can see, everyone was quite casual, dressing for the heat. Dave and Fiona were spraying water from spray bottles, which felt wonderful. Thanks also to those who adjusted the service to the situation and to Mike for his message to us from the Word. It was a special time and one we will remember with fondness.

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Run Away!

Fleeing Tim

Fleeing Tim

I had a nice time at the graduation ceremony and party for a friend named Tim. At the party, some of the younger kids thought it would be fun to chase some of the older kids with swords. Who hasn’t thought that, after all. Here, the guest of honor is being chased around his back yard by someone who may speak softly but who carries a big stick (or sword).

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Leaving For Camp

Dorothy and Friends

Dorothy and Friends

We dropped Dorothy off to go to camp this morning. It was nice to visit, however briefly, with a few parents we haven’t seen in a while. Naturally I took a few pictures, including this one of Dorothy and four of her friends. Everyone was excited, including some parents who were taking advantage of a week without kids. Of course we had to go from there to work, which did put a little bit of a damper on our enthusiasm. Still, they do pay me for my work, and I’m quite happy to have a job, if truth be told.

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Kendra’s New Bike

Kendra and Dorothy

Kendra and Dorothy

Dorothy spent much of the day with her friend Kendra, who met her at grandma’s house. She rode over on her new bicycle.

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Fernando

Fernando Ortega

Fernando Ortega

What a treat it was to go hear Fernando Ortega this evening in a benefit concert for Rockville Pregnancy Clinic. He has such a beautiful, smooth voice and his songs paint wonderful pictures in my mind. I just made a CD with MP3 versions of all of our Fernando Ortega and Chris Rice albums and put it in the car on shuffle. It’s surprising (or perhaps not) how often one of his tunes comes into your head. I suppose that’s a function of how well you know his songs, of course. Anyway, if you have the chance to hear him, I recommend you act on it. This was our third time and by far the least formal. I had a great time with great friends and wonderful music.

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Dorothy, Dressed Up

Dorothy

Dorothy

Dorothy was invited to another formal dance this evening. She didn’t really feel like having her picture taken before leaving but I insisted. Of course I’m her father, but I think she looks very nice.

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Jenny’s In The Middle…

D, Jenny, and Donna

D, Jenny, and Donna

It was graduation Sunday at church this week and we recognized two high school graduates. We were at Timothy’s graduation on June 1, so he’s already had his picture posted. This is a picture of the other graduate, Jenny, with D and Donna.

All together now, “Jenny’s in the middle, ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

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School’s Out

Julia, Dorothy, and Elijah

Julia, Dorothy, and Elijah

It was the last day of school today and Dorothy is now a junior. She and some friends have a tradition for the last day of school. They get together and burn homework from the year. Here they are after their annual homework burning.

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Serious Balloon Hat

Fiona's Balloon Hat

Fiona's Balloon Hat

There are balloon hats and balloon hats. This, however, is a serious balloon hat. We had absolutely perfect weather this afternoon for a church picnic and we made the most of it. Thanks to Hannah for making balloon hats as usual, to the cooks who grilled burgers, dogs, and chicken, and most of all to Jewell for organizing the entire event.

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Roller Skating

Cathy on Wheels

Cathy on Wheels

We helped organize a surprise roller skating party for my sister-in-law this morning. Albert went through some pretty involved steps to provide an excuse for use to pick them up at 9:30 and then to drive towards Baltimore. We “took a quick detour to run an errand” and managed to get pretty close to the rink before she was on to us. Even then, I think she was surprised by the number of people that had gathered to celebrate her birthday. We all had a good time skating. After a slightly shaky start, it came back to me pretty well and I felt comfortable enough to take my camera out on the floor. I took some with flash and some without and I like the blurred pictures that show motion best, although this one is arguably a bit too blurred to qualify as a great picture. It is Cathy, catching up with me. It was particularly nice to have the rink to ourselves for two hours so it really wasn’t at all crowded.

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Congratulations, Timothy

Timothy's Graduation

Timothy's Graduation

We went to a graduation ceremony today. We knew a few of the graduates but it was Timothy’s family that specifically invited us so I picked their picture for today’s post. Congratulations, Timothy and all the best for your year ahead. We’re mightily proud of you. Well done also to the rest of his graduating class, Jessica, Emily, Micaela, Seth, Emmalee, Evan, Jacob, and Justin.

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Dorothy and Hannah

Dorothy and Hannah

Dorothy and Hannah

In general I try not to repeat pictures too often and I’d say that in general, I’m successful in that. When it comes to people pictures, especially “friends of Dorothy” pictures, I’m more likely to repeat because there is a somewhat limited pool of subjects. The number is reduced when you filter out those I don’t often get to photograph (often because they hate having their picture taken). I also try to get permission from Dorothy to post any picture she’s in and often she doesn’t like them (the pictures, not her friends). Anyway, I took her to see her good friend Hannah this afternoon and as I hadn’t taken any pictures yet today, I asked if I could take a few of them. This is the best of what I took. A little fill flash would not have gone amiss but it turned out well, anyway. Want to know the secret to good people pictures? “Only take pictures of attractive people.”

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Voices in the Tempest

Dorothy

Dorothy

The Music Guild performed the songs from their recently released CD this evening. That includes Dorothy playing and singing her song, Voices in the Tempest, with Lizzie, Carrie, and Ben singing harmony, Paul and Lexi on guitar and Alex on Drums. They did a wonderful job and Dorothy sounded as good as you’d expect me to say she did anyway. I recorded all the songs from the event and took a bunch of pictures, as well. This one of Dorothy was taken during practice. Sadly, I can’t record video and take stills at the same time.

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Kayte Grace In Concert

Kayte Grace

Kayte Grace

WCA alumna Kayte Grace came with her band to give us a concert at the school. I was particularly pleased because Dorothy was roped (I mean encouraged) into being one of the opening acts. She sang a song she wrote and, at the risk of sounding like the stereotypical dad, I think she did a pretty darn good job. Happily I recorded Dorothy but she’d kill me if I posted that here but fear not, because you get a picture of the lovely and extremely talented Kayte Grace. If you’d like to hear her music, you can start at http://www.kaytegracemusic.com/. Her music is also available on iTunes and Amazon.

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Andrew

Andrew

Andrew

Some kids get all the luck. If both your parents are attractive, you have a good chance of being attractive yourself. Of course, there are attractive people who are not photogenic and photogenic people who are not traditionally attractive. Then, there are what I call “the beautiful people.” These are people who look good in every situation. If his parent and his sisters are any indication, this is a little boy destined to be one of “the beautiful people.”

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Maureen and Julia

Maureen and Julia

Maureen and Julia

We have quite a few friends whose children are or have been home-schooled. Maureen is one such parent and her daughter, Julia, is a good friend of Dorothy’s. They are among our favorite people on the planet (I might go so far as to say the solar system). Their home-school association has a formal every year and Dorothy went this year. They had a fun time getting ready and Cathy and I went to take pictures before they left for the event.

There was a picture of Dorothy, Julia, and Rachel doing the “I’m a Little Teapot” thing, which was very funny but it was out of focus so I decided to go with this glamour shot instead.

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“Interfaces and Abstract Classes”

Sarah, Hannah, Dorothy, Jenny, Gwendolyn, Ellen, and Katie

Sarah, Hannah, Dorothy, Jenny, Gwendolyn, Ellen, and Katie

The kids gathered for X-Factor at church this evening and heard an interesting presentation titled “Interfaces and Abstract Classes.” Well done, Jeff, an interesting approach. Early in the evening I took this picture of some of the girls: Sarah, Hannah, Dorothy, Jenny, Gwendolyn, Ellen, and Katie. It has nothing in particular to do with Jeff’s talk. It does, however, picture seven different implementations of the “pretty girl” class.

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Kadie and Stephen

Kadie and Stephen

Kadie and Stephen

Not a lot to say about this picture. As the title says, it’s Kadie and Stephen. I’ve known Stephen for about eight years but just met Kadie today. Cute couple, wouldn’t you say? Thanks for posing for me, guys.

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Friday Performance

The Cast

The Cast

After work I headed over to the theatre for the Friday evening performance of Cheaper By The Dozen. I took pictures of each of the performers as they got into make-up and costume and then we got them all together for a cast photo. We took some of just the “Gilbreth” family, then the full cast, and this of the full cast with their long-suffering director. The show went well and a good time was had by all. Two more performances tomorrow.

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Final Dress Rehearsal

WCA’s King’s Players production of Cheaper By The Dozen had its final dress rehearsal this morning with an audience of private and home school students. They did a great job and we all look forward to their performances Friday evening and twice on Saturday.

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Three Amigos

Jessie, Donna, and Dorothy

Jessie, Donna, and Dorothy

My main flash isn’t working properly so I haven’t taken as many indoor and night shots lately. This evening I resorted to the camera’s built-in, pop-up flash. Even in this fairly close shot you can see red-eye, which is one reason I don’t use that flash often. Still, it’s better than nothing and these three girls are pretty whatever the lighting is like. Also, note that Dorothy’s braces are gone so she’s smiling again.

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Simple Machines

Multiplying Her Strength

Multiplying Her Strength

One of my favorite things to do is visit the elementary school classes at Dorothy’s school and of all my visits, I think my favorite is when I come to the second grade class to demonstrate simple machines. We all pull nails out of a board with a crow-bar (lever) but the real fun is using a block and tackle (pulleys). With their brave teacher attached to the bottom end of the rig, each student hoists her up into the air. In this picture, an excited student is standing directly underneath her teacher while holding her up.

Collyn couldn’t rightly be described as large but she’s a lot bigger than the children in her class. For them, even the smallest of them, to lift her so easily is a real eye opener. As I was leaving, third and fourth grade students saw my rope and tools and got all excited on behalf of the current second grade class getting their chance to lift their teacher. They certainly remember it.

Of course, it’s a treat for me, as well. Then again, Cathy’s not sure what to make of me picking up younger women. ;)

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The Cosmos

We went to the Cosmos for lunch today and had a nice time with our mothers and Dorothy’s cousin. It’s hard to do justice to such a fancy building but here are a few pictures, anyway. The photo of William and me was taken by Dorothy.

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History Night

Katie and Emily

Katie and Emily

It was history night at the lower school this evening and although Dorothy hasn’t taken part in five years, I wanted to go anyway. It’s a fun time and I love seeing the kids dressed in their various period costumes. Here are the two third grade teachers, Katie and Emily, hamming it up.

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Hannah and Dorothy

Hannah and Dorothy

Hannah and Dorothy

Dorothy had a half day at school today. She and her good friend Hannah went out for lunch after school and I picked them up a little before 3:00. Hannah went with Dorothy to her art lesson and that’s where this picture was taken. Dorothy teacher buys silk to use in her art work and gave Dorothy the small scraps of silk used to tie up the pieces, which is what Dorothy’s using as a mustache.

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An Evening Out

Cathy at Redrock Canyon

Cathy at Redrock Canyon

With Dorothy out of town, Cathy and I had a quiet evening out today, which was a nice way to end the week. This is Cathy waiting by the fire at Redrock Canyon Grill. The wait wasn’t very long, the food was decent (although not as good as the price implied) and it was nice to be out together.

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National Airport

Dorothy flew to Florida today to visit her friend, Simone. Simone’s brother Eric and his friend Brian were on the same flight, which was nice since it was Dorothy’s first time flying without us. Here are a few photos from Reagan National Airport, the first airport I remember being in as a child.

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A Night Out

Dawn, Kendra, Dorothy, and James

Dawn, Kendra, Dorothy, and James

Dorothy and two of her friends went to see Young The Giant this evening. This is them, just before they left. Dawn, Kendra, Dorothy, and James.

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Kendra

Kendra

Kendra

Kendra came over this evening and hung out with Dorothy. We took pictures of each other with our cameras and this is the one of Kendra we decided we liked best.

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Bartholomew Cubbins

Bartholomew Cubbins

Bartholomew Cubbins
a.k.a. T.J.

I’m not sure how many hats TJ is actually wearing, but probably not 500.

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Amelia

Amelia

Amelia

I had a surprise visit at my office today from a friend. This is Amelia and she was nice enough to let me take a few pictures of her. Happy birthday, dear one.

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WCA Auction

Sterling and Connie

Sterling and Connie

We went to the WCA Auction and had a good time visiting with friends as well as buying a few things to help support the school. I took a bunch of pictures, as you might expect, but I think I like this one the most. This is Sterling and Connie and a nicer couple of people you will be hard pressed to find.

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Julia and Dorothy

Julia and Dorothy

Julia and Dorothy

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Recording Session

Recording Session

Recording Session

The Music Guild had its first recording session today. I only went in long enough to see what the place looked like and to take a few pictures. This is Erin at the microphone.

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Dorothy and Kendra

Dorothy and Kendra

Dorothy and Kendra

There isn’t a lot that needs to be said about this picture. It is what it is.

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Band Practice

I took some pictures at band practice this evening. Dorothy didn’t want me to take any of her so I didn’t but here are a few that turned out well.

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No Script Concert and Party

Honey Bunches and Matt Brown

Honey Bunches and Matt Brown

Christy Danner had a concert and release party for her EP No Script (which you should buy) this evening. The Honey Bunches were there, as well as three of the McGoff clan and Matt Brown and others whose names I don’t remember. This is Amanda, Erin, Carrie, Josh, Ben, and Matt.

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A Few Friends

My good friend Ruth loves to draw and occasionally she’ll work from one of my photos. As you can see, she’s done a great job here with Julia.

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Converse

Converse

Converse

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Let It Snow Disco

Let It Snow Disco

Let It Snow Disco

I think the title says it all.

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Wacky-Tacky Day

Wacky-Tacky Day

Wacky-Tacky Day

It is spirit week at school and today was Wacky-Tacky day. So, here’s the girl’s get-up.

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Cathy and Megan

Cathy and Megan

Cathy and Megan

We picked up Dorothy this evening after her retreat with “that other church” and were excited to run into Megan. It’s nice to see friends. Note: Cathy’s telling a story, she isn’t just waving.

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Into The Wild Blue Yonder

Have you ever looked up at planes overhead and wondered, as have I, where they are going? Do you think about all the people, somewhat uncomfortably crammed into their cattle-class seats, wondering, are we almost there? Does it make you think of far away places, exotic smells, wonderful food, or the sounds of a foreign tongue? Or do you ever wonder whether “blue” or “yonder” is the noun in that phrase? Perhaps not.

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Urban BBQ

Urban BBQ

Urban BBQ

We stopped at Urban BBQ for carry-out this evening. It was hopping. This picture has Kendra and Cathy looking at the menu. Dorothy sat down as I took the picture, so that’s her knee. This is the Urban BBQ that used to be Urban Burger.

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Henna

Henna

Henna

Last night Cathy and I went to the wedding of a friend, the youngest son of good friends of Cathy’s parents, folks they’ve known since forever, more or less. The bride is of Indian extraction and was dressed traditionally. I knew that Dorothy would want to see her hands so I asked if I could take a picture of them. She had roses in henna (as well as her bouquet) in memory of her late father and the rose bushes he planted in their first home. She also had her late grandmother’s initials in henna but they don’t show here. Anyway, I was right, Dorothy was really excited to see this picture.

We had a great time and are thankful to N and Z for inviting us. May they have many years of joy together.

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Final Seconds of 2011

Final Seconds of 2011

Final Seconds of 2011

Counting down to midnight, this picture, my final Project 365 photo, was take with about two seconds left in 2011.

I want to thank you all for your comments and support this year and I hope you’ll visit my new photoblog from time to time.

Aasta lõpus.

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Santa?

Santa?

Santa?

It does look a little like Santa, but something isn’t quite right. He’s also a few days late.

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Second Christmas

Cathy and Dorothy

Cathy and Dorothy

Cathy and Dorothy sport their new Christmas sweaters on Second Christmas at Cathy’s mom’s house. Happy Christmas to all!

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Christmas Cathy

Christmas Cathy

Christmas Cathy

Cathy dressed for Christmas in green and red, including one of my great-grandmother’s hats.

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Joy To the World

Joy To the World

Joy To the World

At our church, we traditionally close our Christmas Eve service with candles lit as we sing Joy To the World. You may ask, ‘how did this tradition get started?’ I’ll tell you! I don’t know. But it’s a tradition…

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Reflected Dorothy

Reflected Dorothy

Reflected Dorothy

This is Dorothy’s reflection in an amber glass bottle. The trick was keeping the reflection of the flash from ruining the image.

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O Holy Night

O Holy Night

O Holy Night

Very well done, guys.

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Picking Up Simone

Picking Up Simone

Picking Up Simone

This was taken at 12:04 a.m. on December 17. Last night (a.k.a. few hours earlier) Dorothy and a bunch of other people picked up Simone and her mom at the airport. So, here’s Dorothy “picking up Simone” as they dropped Dorothy back at home “first thing” this morning.

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X-Factor Christmas Party

X-Factor Christmas Party

X-Factor Christmas Party

The final X-Factor of the year is the annual Christmas party with its gift exchange.

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Maureen and Dorothy

Maureen and Dorothy

Maureen and Dorothy

Here’s Dorothy with her alternate mom.

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Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree

We had our annual outing to cut Christmas trees today. Kendra and Dorothy did the actual cutting, which was nice. It was a beautiful day, if a little chilly.

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Singing Christmas Songs

Singing Christmas Songs

Singing Christmas Songs

After the live nativity in the barn, we moved into the house for dessert. Diana played the piano and we all sang Christmas carols and had a grand old time.

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Dr. Gregg Taira

Dr. Gregg Taira

Dr. Gregg Taira

If you’re in need of a good dentist, I can recommend our friend, Dr. Gregg Taira. He and Cathy went to junior high and high school together and he’s been caring for our teeth for over 20 years.

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David and Margaret

David and Margaret

David and Margaret

Cathy’s brother, David, is visiting from New Mexico and we had dinner with him and his (and Cathy’s) mom this evening.

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Collyn, Krystal, and Cathy

Collyn, Krystal, and Cathy

Collyn, Krystal, and Cathy

Three of my favorite people.

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Emily’s Birthday

Emily's Birthday

Emily’s Birthday

Dorothy’s classmate, Emily, had the class out for lunch for her birthday at Baronessa, a nice, little Italian restaurant near here. Not everyone came but this is about ⅔ of the class.

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Camping Trip…

Camping Trip...

Camping Trip…

to the living room. Dorothy and three friends pitched the tent in our living room and slept in it tonight. Dorothy read a bedtime story (Dogger, by Shirley Hughes) after they were all settled in.

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Sarah and Chloe

Sarah and Chloe

Sarah and Chloe

I took a few pictures at X-Factor this evening and we all liked this one best. And that’s eleven months down, one to go.

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A Boy Named Hsu

A Boy Named Hsu

A Boy Named Hsu

Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Anyway, our friend Jonathan Hsu was dancing at the Montgomery College Dance Showcase this evening and I sneaked a few photos. Here he is as an entomologist, upside down with a butterfly net caught on his foot.

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Maria and Alex

Maria and Alex

Maria and Alex

We were happy to be able to have lunch today with Maria, Alex, and Jean Ulmer. That happens far too infrequently as far as I’m concerned.

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Dorothy and Lyla

Dorothy and Lyla

Dorothy and Lyla

Lyla had a bunch of the youth group over this evening and they were good enough to let me stay and take pictures. This is just a silly picture of Dorothy and Lyla.

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Hartley Thanksgiving

Hartley Thanksgiving

Hartley Thanksgiving

We gathered on Friday for our family Thanksgiving and of course we took our traditional family photo.

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Youth Reunion

Youth Reunion

Youth Reunion

Four of Dorothy’s friends went off to college this fall. She’s seen three of them a few times since then but Hannah Marie Roop went too far to come home for a weekend. We’ll she’s here for Thanksgiving and her parents let here have some of her friends over to see her this evening. A couple had left by the time I took this and two more came after I did, but this is as complete a group picture as I got. There was considerable laughter and much joy.

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Youth Band Practice

Youth Band Practice

Youth Band Practice

The (mostly) youth band practices to an empty room. With the loss of last year’s seniors, the youth band had had to rely on a few adults to fill some gaps.

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Some Friends

Katie, Ellen, Jenny, and Jessie

Katie, Ellen, Jenny, and Jessie

These are four of Dorothy’s friends, Katie, Ellen, Jenny, and Jessie.

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Private Eye

Dorothy's Eye

Dorothy’s Eye

This is Dorothy’s right eye.

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Exuberance

Brandon

Brandon

Look up the word exuberance in any dictionary worth its salt and you’ll see a picture of this boy. It isn’t completely clear in this picture that he’s not simply kneeling in front of this leaf pile. No one who knows Brandon, however, will have any doubt that he is airborne and traveling at great speed, heading for the middle of the pile.

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Mr. Bill

Mr. Bill

Mr. Bill

We had a three day weekend and had to decide between going to New York and going to Cincinnati. New York has Lady Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Broadway. Cincinnati has Bill and Kristine. Cincinnati won.

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Jack and Dorothy

Jack and Dorothy

Jack and Dorothy

Since Jack (and his parents) leave on Saturday, Dorothy and I paid a quick visit this evening. Jack was a bit tired but oh, so cute.

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Neighborhood Kids Go Bananas!

Neighborhood Kids Go Bananas!

Neighborhood Kids Go Bananas!

Yes, banana suits seem to be in this year. These four neighborhood kids are in my mother-in-law’s neighborhood, actually, not ours.

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Working on Homework

Working on Homework

Working on Homework

A couple weeks ago I had a picture of Dorothy “Doing Her Homework.” This time she actually is doing her homework. It was about 9:30 and I realized I hadn’t taken any pictures today so she smiled for me (or something). And now we’ve reached the 3 in 365.

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Katie, Lauren, Jack, and Dorothy

Katie, Lauren, Jack, and Dorothy

Katie, Lauren, Jack, and Dorothy

I got a few nice pictures of Jack this evening (look for an update to The Many Faces of Jack). This one is nice because it has some cool extra people in it.

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Kaileb and Jenny

Kaileb and Jenny

Kaileb and Jenny

On the theme of cute kids, here’s another one. Well, two, actually. This is Jennifer and her nephew Kaileb, who refused to smile for me but is cute anyway.

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Jack Again

Jack Again

Jack Again

I’ve sort of tried not to repeat subject matter this year, with the obvious exception of Cathy and Dorothy. Still, how can I not post another picture of this most adorable of little boys. Jack, we love you. Lauren and Tommy, thanks for letting him brighten our days (and we love you, too).

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Sitting In The Road

Sitting In The Road

Sitting In The Road

Yep, that’s Dorothy, sitting in the road. Cathy, her responsible mother is just standing there looking at her. Meanwhile her father is taking a picture. I’d say that pretty much sums up our family.

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Tommy and Jack

Tommy and Jack

Tommy and Jack

Dorothy and I had a great visit with the Tommy, Lauren, and Jack this evening. There may have been a little cuteness involved. We’re going to miss this family when they move.

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Pressing Grapes

Pressing Grapes

Pressing Grapes

Well, the grapes arrived after 11:00 PM last night, long after we had gone home. We went back today and helped for a little while. Cathy and Dorothy both jumped in with both feet. I fished out stems and took pictures. We were only there a relatively short while but they were nearly done with all 5,000 pounds when we left.

In this picture, Cathy and Dorothy are crushing grapes while Anna, Greg, and Greg remove stems before carrying the bins to the basement.

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Doing Her Homework

Doing Her Homework

Doing Her Homework

This is actually a posed picture. Dorothy had finished reading her Church History assignment (about the Desert Fathers). The first pictures I took didn’t have the book on her but we thought it would lend a touch of verisimilitude.

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Olney Fountain

Olney Fountain

Olney Fountain

At this revitalized shopping center in Olney there is a new fountain. On warm summer evenings you’ll find children playing in the water but it was a bit chilly for that this evening. Still, there were quite a few people about and a long line for ice cream. The loss of B.J. Pumpernickel (it wasn’t forced to close, but it’s gone nonetheless) still makes us sad, though.

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Dorothy’s 15th

Dorothy's 15th

Dorothy’s 15th

We celebrated Dorothy’s birthday quietly at Panera with a good friend this evening. That’s one of my favorite ways to unwind (the good friend part, that is, not Panera specifically).

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Jessie and Erin

Jessie and Erin

Jessie and Erin

Jessie and Erin, two of the vocalists in the church youth band and (of course) Dorothy’s friends.

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Rocklands Farm

Rocklands Farm

Rocklands Farm

We had pretty rotten weather—cold and rainy—for the 2nd annual Old Seneca Artisans Festival at Rocklands Farm today but that’s something none of us can control. I enjoyed meeting the few brave souls who did venture out and it’s always nice to be with the farmers. This is the farm’s “class of 2011”.

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Nate

Nate

Nate

All evening Nate tried to photobomb my pictures but I managed to avoid him every time. He did “strike a pose” for me and I thought I’d reward him for his efforts by using that as my photo for today.

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Stephanie

Stephanie

Stephanie

I didn’t take a lot of pictures today but even if I had, I think I’d like this one best. Stephanie was home on a brief visit from college so we got to see her this morning, which was a treat.

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Ready To Dance

Ready To Dance

Ready To Dance

Dorothy and her friends, dressed and ready to leave for the dance at school. From left: Issy, Erin, Hannah, Toksie, Dorothy, Cat, Anna, and Grace.

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Friendship

Dorothy and Hannah

Dorothy and Hannah

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Lyla

Dorothy and Lyla

Dorothy and Lyla

We found an excuse to visit Lyla at school this afternoon.

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Toni’s Birthday

Toni's Birthday

Toni’s Birthday

The results of an interesting party game.

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Andres and Kasia

Andres and Kasia

Andres and Kasia

Some of the ladies at work organized a baby shower for Kasia. These are the happily expectant parents.

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Don’t Take Our Picture

Don't Take Our Picture

Don’t Take Our Picture

I get this a lot. We were out to dinner with some wonderful friends. I wanted to take a picture to post here. The reaction was as fast as it was unanimous.

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The Teens Return

The Teens Return

The Teens Return

Dorothy went on a retreat with “That Other Church” this weekend. This is the scene shortly after the buses arrived and the tired but happy teens dispersed to the various waiting cars and vans.

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Rockville Town Center

Rockville Town Center

Rockville Town Center

I didn’t feel like cooking this evening so we decided to go to Rockville Town Center. It was a happenin’ place this evening, with a band playing and people dancing. Well, it was mostly little kids dancing, sometimes with their mom’s but they all seemed to be enjoying themselves.

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Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait

I guess this is what I look like to a lot of people. I thought I’d post something a little different today. I did go out in the early afternoon, since it was such a beautiful day and there is a picture from my wandering in Extras. This is a self-portrait I did as I came back to the building. It’s a reflection in the mirrored glass door to my building (and then flipped so as not to be a mirror image).

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Jenny and Nayo

Jenny and Nayo

Jenny and Nayo

I asked Dorothy for help picking a picture for today and this was her favorite. It’s hard to argue with her — these are two adorable girls. That’s the secret to taking good pictures, by the way. Only take pictures of attractive people. Hard to go wrong with this pair.

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Tire Swing

Tire Swing

Tire Swing

It was so wonderful to spend a little more time with Erin and her lovely family today. Thanks for putting up with us. I especially enjoyed pushing Marit and Zeke on the tire swing. What a delight your children are. God speed and and a good voyage to you all.

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Green Hair Man

Green Hair Man

Green Hair Man

A funny thing happened on the way to an earthquake. Actually, I was driving to the Verizon store to get new phones for all of us when I looked in my rear view mirror. This is what I saw. This picture was taken from the driver’s seat, stopped at a light, with the lens pointed into the interior rear view mirror. Not a bad picture, considering that. Anyway, that’s about the greenest hair I’ve ever seen.

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Wacky Sophomores*

Wacky Sophomores

Wacky Sophomores

School starts on Wednesday and the sophomore and junior classes had a joint “back to school” party this afternoon. In this photo, Dorothy and some of her friends are… well, I’m not sure what they’re doing.

*I know, Hannah is a junior. Sorry.

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Mowing the Lawn

Mowing the Lawn

Mowing the Lawn

A good friend of ours said she liked mowing the lawn because it was the only thing she could do around the house that her two sons couldn’t undo in half an hour.

I think Cathy does it for a similar reason to why I do the cooking. She considers the lawn in need of attention before I do. I consider dinner in need of attention before she does.

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27th Anniversary

27th Anniversary

27th Anniversary

Cathy and I went out to dinner tonight to celebrate our 27th anniversary. The waiter brought us this dessert, which was delish.

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County Fair

County Fair

County Fair

The county fair is always a good source of interesting photographs. Taking three kids (ages 1, 5, and 7) plus Dorothy should make it even better. Unfortunately I forgot to put the memory card back in my camera this morning. So, this is a picture of Zeke on a camel, taken on Dorothy’s phone (but by me, don’t worry).

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D

D

D

Youth pool party this afternoon and I was allowed to come take pictures. This is Darien (a.k.a. D) on his way to a belly-flop.

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Alec and Audrey

Alec and Audrey

Alec and Audrey

This afternoon we had a nice visit with my cousin, Lisa, and her lovely family. This is Alec and Audrey, her two children and Dorothy’s second cousins. We certainly don’t see them as often as we should but it’s always a treat when we do. We shouldn’t need the extra incentive but Dorothy actually does have more reason to visit Tampa now, so perhaps we’ll make our way south sometime.

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Wakin’ Up Is Hard To Do

Dorothy

Dorothy

We didn’t really do anything today but it’s the beach, nothing is what you do there.

This picture makes it look like it’s cold but it’s actually been quite hot here. Dorothy had just gotten up and was still wrapped up from being inside (where it IS pretty cold, particularly first thing in the morning).

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Dinosaur and Chicken

Dinosaur and Chicken

Dinosaur and Chicken

It was cool enough in the car that Dorothy wanted to wear her dinosaur suit today. Outside, where this chicken was, however, it was pushing 100°F. We stopped there for lunch and Dorothy asked if she could have her picture taken with him.

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The Redhead

The Redhead

The Redhead

I came home today to find a girl at my house who looked a lot like Dorothy. But something was different… Actually, I quite like it.

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Steph and Hannah

Steph and Hannah

Steph and Hannah

It was hard to pick one picture for today so I decided to go with two beautiful smiles. After staying home because she was sick when we left for Toronto, Stephanie got better and her wonderful parents got her to us on Tuesday evening. She didn’t stop smiling all week. It made Hannah and the rest of the team pretty happy, as well.

This picture was taken in the CN Tower, which costs a bit to go up but is worth the price, I think. We were there for sunset, which was particularly nice and the wind felt good after being so hot.

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Ben

Ben

Ben

During our week in Toronto we spent the mornings helping prepare and serve meals in a soup kitchen, Ben works there year round. So, if what we did is good, what adjective do you use for what he does. I guess it’s his job, but still, it’s pretty awesome. Also, he has to put up with a different group like ours each week, which must get old. So, here’s to Ben (Ben Hur, actually). Chef, stand-up comic, really nice guy. Thanks for all you do at St. Felix.

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Toronto Team, Sandwich Run

Toronto Team, Sandwich Run

Toronto Team, Sandwich Run

Earlier today we made about 120 bag lunches with sandwiches, fruit, and juice. In the early evening we joined a team from New Jersey to pass them out to people on the street. This was done along with Joe from an organization called Project 417. Joe has been working with homeless people in Toronto for about 30 years. We were also thrilled to have Stephanie join us this evening, making our team whole again.

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Toronto Team at St. Felix

Toronto Team at St. Felix

Toronto Team at St. Felix

On each day in Toronto, we were at the St. Felix Centre from about 8:30 to 12:45. We prepared and then served lunch to between 90 and 100 people. This is the team (although you can’t quite see Jessie). It was the best youth mission team I’ve ever been on a trip with.

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Lissie

Lissie

Lissie

We picked up our weekly share of vegetables at Rocklands Farm this morning and enjoyed a visit with the folks there, including Lissie, Anna’s sister, who posed for me with a small basket of produce.

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Eat Mor Chikin

Eat Mor Chikin

Eat Mor Chikin

Dorothy dressed in a cow costume today and earned a free meal at the Germantown Chik-Fil-A. She also got to visit Lyla, which is at least as big a treat. Oh, and thank you, Megan for the use of the cow suit.

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WCA Volleyball

WCA Volleyball

WCA Volleyball

Dorothy wanted to go watch some of her friends play volleyball this evening and I decided I’d take my camera. I got a few good pictures but I think I have a lot to learn about photographing this sport. Anyway, this is Alexia on WCA’s summer league team.

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Picnic Lunch

Picnic Lunch

Picnic Lunch

We had a picnic after church today to say farewell to the Bill and Kristine who are moving to Ohio. I’ll post a separate gallery with a bunch of pictures but this was my favorite from today.

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Dinner at Mama Lucia’s for Erick’s Hope

Dinner at Mama Lucia's for Erick's Hope

Dinner at Mama Lucia’s for Erick’s Hope

Erick’s Hope was having a fundraiser at Mama Lucia’s in Olney this evening. What a great excuse to have dinner with friends. They aren’t all in the picture but Mike and Krystal were with us, along with Diana, Josh, and Jake.

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Family Gathering

Family Gathering

Family Gathering

Stephen and Maya were down for a wedding over the weekend so the locals got together for dinner on Tuesday before they headed back to Boston.

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Four Graduates

Stephanie, Hannah, Stephen, and Lyla

Stephanie, Hannah, Stephen, and Lyla

Congratulations to four gratuates: Stephanie, Hannah, Stephen, and Lyla. God bless you as you head off to college in the fall.

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Jack and Some Friends

Jack and Some Friends

Jack and Some Friends

I know Jack was featured here only 12 days ago but he’s so darn cute and now he’s out and about a bit more. Here he is with his mom and seven adoring fans.

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Greg and Anna

Greg and Anna

Greg and Anna

So if it was hard yesterday to pick a single picture from 465, how much harder today. But since the main event was the wedding, here is the happy couple, officially husband and wife.

Although I’m posting this on Tuesday, don’t worry, I have pictures taken Sunday and Monday to share, as soon as I can get to them. It won’t be long.

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Greg and Anna Joy

Greg and Anna Joy

Greg and Anna Joy

I know I’m running behind. I’ve been so busy taking pictures that I haven’t had enough time to go through them. Also, picking one picture out of 465 is never easy.

We were privileged to spend the evening with Greg and Anna Joy’s families as they prepared to join in marriage tomorrow. The highlight, I think, was the time of story-telling in the barn. In this picture, Clay is telling a bit about how he and Greg met and became such good friends.

Any guesses what tomorrow’s picture will be of?

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Carousel Rogues

Carousel Rogues

Carousel Rogues

I enjoyed hearing our friends, Caitlin and Zach along with the rest of Carousel Rogues play this evening up in Frederick. They leave tomorrow on their first mini-tour. Have a great time, guys, we love you!

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Watching a Movie

Watching a Movie

Watching a Movie

Dorothy and Simone watched a movie on the computer this evening.

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Jack

Jack

Jack

Our friends Lauren and Tommy let us come visit them and see their beautiful three-week-old son, Jack. He had a rough first week but seems to be doing wonderfully now. He slept most of the time we were there but it was great to hold him and get caught up with Lauren and Tommy. What a sweet baby and what great parents.

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Iris

Iris

Iris

But this is not your run of the mill Iris. Among other things, she’s one year through med school.

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Levi

Levi

Levi

We had a wonderful time with our good friends Erin and David this evening and were especially happy to meet their one year old son, Levi. What a charmer.

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Dorothy and Friends

Dorothy and Friends

Dorothy and Friends

Ellen, Sarah, Jenny, Anna, and Dorothy.

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Nick Weber’s Heritage Rosarium

Nick Weber's Heritage Rosarium

Nick Weber’s Heritage Rosarium

I spent the better part of the day at Nick Weber’s Heritage Rosarium today, taking over 350 photographs of roses. What a wonderful place to be. Just before 1:00 PM a very heavy rain shower came through and we all watched it from the shelter of the gazebo.

I decided to take a panorama of the garden in the rain, and took nine shots that have been stitched together to form this image. As you can see, the tripod head wasn’t completely level so the image slopes a bit but this gives you a bit of an idea what Nick’s main garden looks like.

Thank you Nick and Rosanne.

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Ben, Lilias, and Michelle

Ben, Lilias, and Michelle

Ben, Lilias, and Michelle

We had a terrific afternoon with our friends Ben, Michelle, and their beautiful daughter Lilias. She only smiled for me in a couple pictures but I think this one is pretty sweet.

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Mother’s Day

Mother's Day

Mother’s Day

We went out to lunch with our mothers (and Dorothy’s grandmothers) today. A nice time with two of the best moms in the world. Thanks for everything, mom.

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Karlee and Dorothy

Karlee and Dorothy

Karlee and Dorothy

We don’t get to see Karlee nearly enough since her family moved to Virginia but she came and spent the night with Dorothy, which was a treat for all of us.

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Zubbles

Zubbles

Zubbles

We spent an enjoyable afternoon visiting Iris in Baltimore for her birthday. It was pretty windy but Iris and Dorothy enjoyed blowing Zubbles on the ninth floor patio.

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Did Someone Say Murder? (again)

Did Someone Say Murder?

Did Someone Say Murder?

After spending the morning editing pictures from last night, I spent the afternoon and evening at the Olney Theatre again. Here’s the cast and crew after today’s second and final performance.

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Did Someone Say Murder?

Did Someone Say Murder?

Did Someone Say Murder?

Sorry for the delay in getting this up. Friday I went from the office to the Olney Theatre to take pictures before and after the WCA performance of Did Someone Say Murder? by David J. LeMaster.

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Godspell

Godspell

Godspell

We had an enjoyable evening today, capped off with the wonderful performance of Godspell by the teens at Covenant Life Church. They did a terrific job and we thoroughly enjoyed the show. If anyone seeing this knows any of these kids, please tag them.

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Connections With The Past

Sultan and Zaid

Sultan and Zaid

Longish story…

The Meridian International Center put together an exhibit of photographs illustrating U.S.-Afghan relations over the last hundred years. Of about 100 images, Cathy’s dad took about a dozen. We enjoyed the the opening reception for the show today along with Jim’s former student and very good friend Sultan and his wife (Homaira) and son (Zaid).

We (not to mention Dr. Curtis Sandberg) were happily surprised to learn that Sultan took one of the photographs (of President Eisenhower). But the real kicker came when Sultan and Zaid recognized the people in this photograph of “Princess Fatima” and her entourage from 1921. “That’s my great grandmother,” Zaid exclaimed! Sure enough, the picture is of Sultan’s grandmother (“Princess Fatima,” second from the right) and father (third from the left). The photograph was taken in Washington D.C., possibly on the roof of the White House.

How cool is that?

The Meridian has a portion of their web site dedicated to this show, including a gallery of all the images. In Small Things Remembered.

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Cousins

Cousins

Cousins

My mom and I were able to visit with kith and kin over the weekend in Belvidere. This photo is of my mom and five of her cousins. Unfortunately Jack and Clinton had already left by the time someone thought of taking a picture. We continue to pray for Glenn and his family.

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Lauren Plus One

Lauren Plus One

Lauren Plus One

Only two months to go…

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T-Bone

T-Bone

T-Bone

There really isn’t a lot to say about this picture. Benton is a little over a year old and is quite the little bruiser. Awfully cute, though.

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Lani and Adam

Lani and Adam

Lani and Adam

What a treat it was to visit with Adam and Lani today. Seth is as cute as ever and his little sister Adelyn is from the same mold. There’s a picture of Seth in Extras, as well.

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Cathy at Great Falls

Cathy at Great Falls

Cathy at Great Falls

Picking a picture for today was made more difficult by the fact that I took over 350. Still, this captures the feel for the day pretty well. After taking pictures for the fourth grade at school, Cathy and I decided to go to Great Falls. I actually ran out of “film” (I have an 8 GB card and it will hold about 335 images).

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Youth Band

Youth Band

Youth Band

The youth band played at X-Factor last night (and did a great job, by the way). Dorothy was the lead vocalist. In kindergarten and first grade she wouldn’t go up front with her class for anything. Admittedly, this is a very friendly audience. Still, we’re proud of our girl. And she sounded great!

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Evan

Evan

Evan

I got the idea for this project from my friend and co-worker Molly. She often posts pictures of her three boys on her Project 365 so I thought it only fair that I should get to post one. Cute kid, eh?

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James

James

James

James is the grandson of our good friend Amanda. He’s a little shy around strangers but can be pretty cute once he warms up to you. This is somewhere in the in between stage. He still isn’t sure about this guy with the big camera.

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Dot

Dot

Dot

Today my dear mom turned 80 and we had a little surprise party for her with a few of her friends and of course the family. Thanks, mom, for everything and happy 80th birthday! We sure love you.

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Simone, Dorothy, Anna, and Kendra

Simone, Dorothy, Anna, and Kendra

Simone, Dorothy, Anna, and Kendra

Dorothy had some friends over this afternoon. Unfortunately I didn’t think to take any pictures until after some had left. Here are some of them, anyway.

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My Valentines

Dorothy

Dorothy

One of my two valentines, actually. Yep, she’s my sweetheart.

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Shaina

Shaina

Shaina

This is the daughter Kathy, of a friend of mine at work. Her mom calls her Corey (her first name) but she introduces herself as Shaina (her middle name).

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Safiya, Sarah, Jenny, and Dorothy

Safiya, Sarah, Jenny, and Dorothy

Safiya, Sarah, Jenny, and Dorothy

I don’t think I need to explain why I picked this picture for today.

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Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

I took quite a few pictures today but can only publish one here, so I went with all the kids at our Chinese New Year dinner.

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Melanie and Levi

Melanie and Levi

Melanie and Levi

Levi, almost 12 weeks old and his mother, Melanie.

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Dorothy and Some Snow

Dorothy and Some Snow

Dorothy and Some Snow

The top of our small holly tree was bent over until it was touching the ground by the weight of the heavy, wet snow that came down overnight.

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WackyTacky Day

WackyTacky Day

WackyTacky Day

It’s spirit week at school and today is Wacky Tacky Day (“Students should come to school dressed as crazily as possible”). This is Dorothy, all ready to go. She didn’t actually take the ukulele with her.

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Dinosaur and Friends

Dinosaur and Friends

Dinosaur and Friends

Dorothy and some of her friends after getting back from a church youth group retreat. Sounds like they had a great time. From left to right: Anna, Amy, Dorothy, Ariana, Cat.

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Dorothy

Dorothy

Dorothy

This is a more flattering picture of Dorothy than yesterday’s shot. It also happens to be the 1,000th picture taken with my new camera.

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Easily Distracted

Easily Distracted

Easily Distracted

I was taking a picture of Dorothy with her new t-shirt and some colorful bird flew past the window. Happy Second Christmas to everyone.

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Jean and Family

Jean and Family

Jean and Family

Our good friends, Maria and Alex were baptized this morning and I took this picture of the family after lunch. What a beautiful family. We love you all.

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Christopher

Christopher

Christopher

This is Christopher. He’s just built a pretty impressive Lego® tower and he is rightly proud.

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Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

We’ll start off the year of living photographically with a picture of my lovely wife. If you know her, I bet you can practically hear her laughing when you see this.

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Christmas, 2010

Christmas, 2010

Christmas, 2010

Cathy gave me a new camera for Christmas, a Canon 60D, to replace the 10D that I’ve been using since April, 2003. The cameras are quite similar in their controls but the upgrade includes a pixel increase of 285% (from 6 to nearly 18MP). This photo is the 19th exposure on the new camera. A few days after this picture was taken, I decided to see if I could take at least one picture a day for a year. That “Project 365” resulted, ultimately, in this blog. For that initial year (2011), the photos were posted to Facebook. I continued taking a picture a day in 2012 and this blog was born. I retroactively back-posted the pictures from the first year. I hope you find a few pictures that you can enjoy.

The picture-a-day thing continued for a total of 10 years, ending on Thursday, December 31, 2020. The blog doesn’t end there, however, and I continue posting pictures, just not a picture every day.

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