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local picks an illusion...

A daily Blog - Pictures and news of/from family and friends. So, please feel free to send along anything that you might have found interesting in your internet or lifetime travels. There are also the occasional links to absolutely fascinating (IMHO) information, scattered throughout. These links are underlined in blue and usually accompanied by a picture. The picture, hopefully, gives you an idea what to expect when you click on the link. However, accompanying picture or not, hyperlinks should be followed on general principles.
Further -- it would probably be a good idea for you to e-mail a link to this blog to everyone in your address book. :)))

Thanks for visiting -

Mar 31, 2008 Mon

We want one of these -

and rue the day that restaurants stopped putting a stick of butter on the table, in favor of those tiny foil wrapped pats.

It was partly cloudy, when suddenly the sky opened up and spit marble sized hail for about ten minutes. And just as fast, the sun reappeared, and the rest of the day was pleasant.

If you find yourself with nothing to do - paint your fingers!

After posting several 'train oops', it is only fitting to include a 'truck oops' ~

Sometimes tempting...

Mar 30, 2008 Sun

You may have noticed that we are trying a new thing, centering the entire page - pictures and words - in the browser window. In prior times, the window was left justified. If this is creating a problem for you, please let us know...

It seems natural to Ann to work one handed, on occasion...

Last night was the Ethnic Dinner, a fundraiser for the church Youth Group. Nearly two hundred folks came, and the variety of food items from different countries was most delicious!

There was also entertainment - part of which was: Auntie Vera's Ukulele Band, sometimes called, Aunt Vera's Raggedy Players...
This is because it was our Grandmother's sister, Vera, that first taught music (uke and mandolin) to family members. Here are Dick and Laura~~

Both Ann and Evelyn helped serve and clean up -

And, of course, Ann is one of the charter members of the players - along with Richard, Niomi and David
Photo by Dick Smock~

A situation much like the one pictured here nearly got me fired, once. It was during a snow storm, and the tracks and switches were not easily visible. Usually, two switches would not be this close together, and it would not be so easy to mistakenly throw the wrong one - causing one's train to go down an incorrect track. I noticed at the last second that I'd lined the wrong switch, and made a hasty correction - saving my job for one more day.

Heritage, a stretch...
Cell phone camera - I am your father...

Mar 28, 2008 Fri

Awoke yesterday to see... snow coming down! Argh! Fortunately, it didn't last and didn't stick, and the sun broke through just fine~~

As if the 'Handy Switch'  guy isn't making enough money - I'll just help pitch his product.

We saw the ad on late night TV and thought it might solve a problem - namely, walls that needed a switch but didn't have one. As in, one walks into a dark room and reaches to where they would expect to find a switch - and nothing. Which results in one wandering about in the dark, feeling along the walls and hoping to finally locate a light switch.

This device solves that problem, as long as there is a lamp of the plugin variety, handy to where you need light. Plug the light into the business part of the handy switch set-up, and plug that into a wall outlet. This part receives a radio signal from the wall switch part of the device and turns on the lamp. Clever - and it works to perfection. We bought two, and ordered two more.
Here is the business part of the deal - it emits a nice blue glow when the wall switch is in the off position, too.

Walking into the kitchen from the bedroom at night - no light switch. Now, light switch. Turns on the light over the sink.

The glass lamp now comes on at the push of a button~~

Well said...

Train oops - thanks to Jack

A Ham with the Ham - glazing prior to heading for Barb's - cell phone pic by Ann~

Mar 26, 2008 Wed

We hope never to run across this particular error message - at least it hasn't cropped up, yet. But it did for some poor soul...

We have been maintaining for years that the type of water craft known collectively as 'Ferry', are too top heavy and therefore prone to rolling - or, capsizing. Here is another example. Type 'ferry' into the site search engine for previous posts.

Matt - the proud Dad - of Lucas, and husband of Tara, equally proud Mom!

Do tell~~??

Love this shot - one of the aging shuttle fleet, the planet, and the Space Station~

A Saab trip to Bellingham, this day. Scooter riding to do the groceries. Valentine balloon still aloft.

Home from school... Anna~ photo by Ann
Sure would like to see some of the photos you took!

Mar 25, 2008 Tue

Barb was kind enough to make her home available Easter Sunday, and 17 of us took advantage of that. Missing were Dick and Laura -- visiting out-of-town. Photos by Ann
Evelyn decorated the Lambie cake...

Heidi and Aaron are engaged!

Justine, Anna, Heidi and Jennifer

Debra is due next month~

Ann did the honors and the Lambie cake went in one sitting -

Ann, Anna and Evie

Bought a 'do-it-yourself' GPS system - not quite what I'd expected...

Mar 23, 2008 Sun

Easter sunday, comes so early this year!

Went to the Highschool play - what an amazing production! Acting, singing, dancing and music! These are some talented kids!

Evelyn in make up for ballet - one half of her is dead, you see, in this ballet~~

From Mardi - trying to trick us into thinking things have warmed up in MI-

Self explanatory ~

Ann and the Lambie Cake - an Easter tradition - decorated by Evelyn

thanks to Jarvis ~
This isn't morbid -- the dog lived.

Mar 21, 2008 Fri

On Valentine's Day, which was over five weeks ago, Laura brought over this helium balloon. These many weeks later it remains aloft. It has migrated to the kitchen ceiling from the dining room, somehow. Although it may appear to be attached to my head in this photo, in reality it is floating several feet above. We are wondering how long this balloon might stay floating in the air? Perhaps, someone will call Guinness and see what the record might be...

Tizzy likes to read the paper with Ann. In this case, a catalog, with Ann and the two puppies. She will put her paw on each page and won't allow it to be turned until she is quite finished. She looks each page over carefully from top to bottom, occasionally giving this or that article a good sniff. She seems to look forward to this activity every day.

We admit to enjoying bubblewrap popping, but never dreamed it could be done online! Thanks to Jarvis~
click - try it

A word to the wise...

Mar 20, 2008 Thu

How your sewing machine locks a stitch - or...

Heritage - Needle, I am your son~

This is our nearest 'big city', and sometimes I am proud of that fact - this is one of those times...

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We suppose that it's only natural -- spy bugs would seem to follow from spy bats, mentioned below (March 15th blog entry) . Perhaps you will see them circling a street light by your house some evening...

Everything is so darn literal, any more~

When speed bumps are not practical in your neighborhood, perhaps these (anti) speed holes will be more successful? They worked surprisingly well in tests in several large cities. Possible downside -- some drivers tended to swerve at the last minute...

This gentleman seems to have adapted one of Mr. Tesla's coils for use as an antitheft device~~

A couple sunny afternoons and we were forced to cut the lawn for the first time this season. Next, try to hook up those 55 gallon rain barrels that have been sitting in the back yard since last fall... We did finally replace the weather stripping around the back door that the puppies had chewed their way through. It was a close thing, though -- we left the replacement strip in the backyard for a few days -- where the puppies chewed it, of course. I had placed it on top of the cat's wire house, but the wind had blown it down. Fortunately, we found it in time to save enough to affect the repair. The puppies are still alive, and have outgrown chewing on the weather stripping.

Heritage ~

Printer, I am your father...

Mar 18, 2008 Tue

Found the following around the internet...

One of those events we hope to never witness...

Breaking it up -

Taking the measure of things...

Pups are four months old - playing in the living room

Mar 16, 2008 Sun

Heritage~~
Flash memory - I am your father - 16 MB then and now...

The Crowley Tug, Response, is in town - you might not be able to tell from this distance, but they tried to abscond with my scooter!

Talyn's 16th birthday was celebrated this day (actually, this Tuesday)

Two from the Mayor, trying out the Retina ~~
If you ever lived in Chicago...

A newsstand - Jim points out that the papers used to be free, but now one must deal with the FEE?!

Because they can...

Mar 15, 2008 Sat

Can't wait to see a few of these flitting around the neighborhood...

The U.S. Army wants a 6-inch spy plane that will gather data on sights, sounds, and smells in urban combat areas. It has given the University of Michigan's College of Engineering $10 million and five years to help make "the bat" plane happen. Researchers plan to equip the plane with tiny cameras for stereo vision, directional microphones, and devices that detect nuclear radiation and poisonous gas.

and you thought Google Earth had the potential for abuse...

More heritage:
DVD - I am your father - (the VHS cassette is there to give you an idea the size of the video laser disk)

This fellow is trying to tell us something, with this picture he calls -- dehydration

Speaking of less water, the very low tide today uncovered the remains of a boat, resting against the breakwater that protects the Anacortes Marina.

It also exposed all this waterlogged wood that rests on the bottom, out of sight, ordinarily. These are not tree limbs -- for the most part they are boards that were once part of boats.

Are you familiar with the theory, currently in favor with our government (and a lot of credit card users) that it's okay to be terrificly in debt -- as long as you can afford the interest? As consumers, we've learned (sometimes the hard way) that just paying the interest does not ever get rid of the debt. We can't help but wonder when the day of reckoning will come for the Fed -- if we aren't seeing it, already?

Ann catches four dogs sitting at the same time -- somewhat of a rarity~

out riding

Little Miss Lily - iPhoto by Ni

Yours truly, late sixties - a no moustache period - during Van Born Auto Wash Days. Yes, we made up for it with muttonchop sideburns - alas...

Mar 14, 2008 Fri

Had to look twice at this portrait - unusual...?

Making a very expensive airplane - F-22 Raptor, replaces the thirty year old Stealth, which are being retired.

Posing with Jasper and Roma - sometimes neglected in all the puppy hoopla~~

Thanks to Tim and Shilo - taken near where they live - the recent lunar eclipse

Question: I've noticed that the reflection of the sun is seen in the reflection of the street light while the sun itself is much higher than the street light is?

"The answer is Parallax. The reflection in the water shows the view as seen from a point that is the camera's reflection in the water -- i.e., as far below the surface as the camera is above it. The street light is much closer than the Sun; so parallax mainly affects the position of the light's reflected image. These perspective effects are *always* present in pictures of reflections in water -- but not often as obvious as in your picture, which is a 'textbook example' of the effect."

Mar 12, 2008 Wed

Happy Birthday to Niomi!

Shuttle on Course for Late-Night Docking

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Space shuttle Endeavour closed in on the international space station on Wednesday for a late-night linkup that will kick off almost two weeks of demanding construction work. Before the docking, though, Endeavour's commander, Dominic Gorie, was set to guide the shuttle through a 360-degree backflip to allow for full photographic surveillance. It's one of the many safety-related procedures put in place following the Columbia tragedy in 2003.

a fractal hand?

We all knew it was this bad - but how did it get this bad so fast? This latest round of oil price increases has put this graph off the chart, at 110 dollars/barrel~~

Heritage...

Mar 11, 2008 Tue

Try it - you might surprise yourself - I did. And here I thought I never paid attention in geography.
play the game

Test your powers of observation - it is amazing what you will miss!
try it HERE - click

An animated GIF that's over five thousand years old - in a sense -
learn more - click here

What we were doing in March, 2004 - fixing up the shed, amongst other things~

Along those lines, we had a couple yards of gravel dumped in the alley - here:

When where we actually NEED it, is inside the fence, HERE:

The solution was to remove a few of the fence pickets and shovel gravel directly into the area where it is needed. That took care of about half a yard. The remaining yard and a half, will need to be transported by shovel and wheelbarrow - a few loads a day. Ugh. Ann moved quite a bit this afternoon, after work - no less!

The animated map (below) shows the flight paths of all four 9/11 planes.
Ever wonder why air traffic control did not scramble some fighter jets when they saw all of these planes veering off their flight plan at the same time? The two jets that hit the World Trade Center actually crossed paths enroute. Click on the arrows to the left of each flight. The one that shows them all in motion at once is most interesting. It reveals how well the plan had been developed, barring departure delays. Was the original plan was to have them all strike their targets at the same time? They did it all with U.S. aircraft, U.S. flight schools, and a few box cutters.
9-11 FLIGHT PATHS - Click

Mar 09, 2008 Sun

OH, make up my mind, please...

Perhaps you can explain something to me? What on earth does a spider crawling on this lady have to do with her mortgage rates?

The dogs, as you can see, love their stuffed toys. Mostly, they love to rip them apart and tear out the stuffing, which they diligently try to distribute evenly (and with great success) throughout the house. All the stuffed toys are referred to somewhat generically as: Bear. Tizzy, where's your bear? This will have her off searching for the current favorite. The game they are playing here is called, My bear. You know, It's my bear -- no, it's my bear, no it's not, it's my bear! So far, two puppies still equal about one Tizzy, an equation that is soon to tip, no doubt.

Here is another way to search for images online, in this case, images on Flickr. Merely type something in the search box and related photos from Flickr show up~~
Search for images on Flickr

Why does this not come as a surprise?

Mar 07, 2008 Fri

We were happily surprised when the news broke around the world that bottled water was pretty much tap water. Still, it's amazing how much of the stuff is still being consumed. And at what cost...

Yes, doctor, that pretty much sums it up~~

Wouldn't it be great fun to own a high-speed camera? You could make videos like this every day --
A close look at this film makes me less interested in trying to karate chop a brick...

If you are still using windows XP, as it seems a lot of folks will be for some time, given the less than enthusiastic reception that Windows Vista is receiving - then you will want to download service pack three, which became available a couple days ago. Though not as outwardly impressive as service pack two, it does address several major security issues, along with a few other equally useful improvements.
Find the download here, along with easy to follow instructions.

Thanks to Ambie, an interesting quiz, for which you have access to the answers immediately -- without filling in any forms or giving your e-mail address, etc. You will see a place from the air and try to name it using multiple choice answers -- 16 questions.
The picture below represents my effort -- you can try it here

Mar 05, 2008 Wed

Mis-direction? Or what effects us the most? Wouldn't mind seeing those prices today - but that's not apt to happen, again, ever.

What our planet (with its moon) looks like from Mars~

I wish someone would take one of these and send it to me? Maybe one of you Iphone types?

There is a lesson, here...

Could this old nemesis now be our friend? The answer might be, YES, in some cases -
click for more

Mar 04, 2008 Tue

You probably won't believe that I finally got a good shot of the moon...
well, you're right...    love this one, though~~

signage...

Geez, there's a lot of truth, here...

We've played this before - but it's worth another round - thanks to Kurt
The Escape Game!

Mar 02, 2008 Sun

This is worrisome - as if you didn't have enough concerns when vacationing by plane -

Here it is on video:

Here is an unusual gag - over two hundred folks 'froze' at Grand Central Station, to see what kind of a reaction they would get - Thanks to Jack~~
See it HERE

My best score in a dozen tries~

Someday, I'm going here, and get
one of these~~

All in all, a lovely day - spent an hour or so polishing the last of the mud spots off the scooter, left over from riding home in the rain last fall - Saturday, September 29th, '07, if you want to look back on the blog and see the pix.

Lake Huron Winter, thanks to Linda~~

Mar 01, 2008 Sat

Welcome to the month of March. Did you have to leap to get here?

We think of our planet being covered mostly by water, and surrounded by air. This photo gives a more realistic idea of how much air and water that might actually be, compared to the volume of the planet.

Thanks to Richard for snapping this iphoto!

This was yesterday morning, the pups coming home from their overnight at the vet. Yes, they are both no sexes.

Mostly candid shot of Ann repairing rosaries~

A good example of how the pups team up to crowd their mom away from the toy -

David holding Little Nonuts... ah, Leo. Puppies smell good.

Lily~
Whatever it is, I didn't do it!