Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

As I sit here and look out the window of our new bungalow in West Salem, I thank my family for being the rock and helping keep me steady. I think of my family back in Wyoming and Nebraska along with other relatives in Minnesota, Arizona, Iowa and California. I think of all the friends I grew up with that are still living in the heartland and hope they are sharing a wonderful day with their families.

Yesterday (11/26) I was on a bicycle ride just west of the hills of West Salem and had to stop along side the road. I did this so I could take in the wonderment of the late afternoon sun bathing the hillsides and the fields of grass seed and wheat that were laying dormant for the winter. The hazelnut orchards and vineyards that have seen their harvest and wait for another year when they again will bring work and another bounty for people to enjoy.

I stopped because so many times I am riding along by myself or with others and never take the time to enjoy what is around me. Even though it was but a minute it is the kind of minute that will stay in my mind for recall on those days when the rain is coming down and I am not able to be outside. It also makes me think that sometimes me/we all need to slow down and realize that there are many things more important than a new bike or some camera gear. There is Family and Friends, our health and the joy of being alive everyday.

I hope that anyone who reads this will have a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy your Family, Friends or whomever you may be with this day. Take a moment to relax, think about what is important to you and try and do something for someone else this holiday season that will make a difference in their lives.

Thanks for reading!

Tim

Where Was I & is it really November?

Holy cow! I have been meaning to get back to this and then I come up with an excuse and do something else. Overall though I really have some good excuses and the main one is the selling of our prior house and purchase of our now current home. A big move of about seven blocks in our neighborhood but we get some more space and a lot quieter street. I will not have the 'sunrise' that is the photo at the top of his blog.

Anyway, we have been to coast for a weekend back towards the end of September and since have been packing or unpacking. I am working via laptop so have to use jump drives to move files from the mothership PC to the laptop for doing things like this. I will get back in the habit soon and start to put out some more material.

Anyway, while at the coast I was trying to practice shooting (with camera) the general birds out there. Seems gulls are the predominant species! Anyway, I have a somewhat scratchy photo of one in flight and a few others that I feel good for publishing to my smugmug site. I also put in a shot of a Northern Flicker working our bird feeders at our previous house. It has not found the feeders at the new house....yet!

Well, gonna go for now. I have a had a nice day off, so thank your veterans for this holiday, oh yeah, that would include me as I am a veteran from the Army '86 - '90.

Thanks for reading! Tim -