HAPPY CANADA DAY!

I know this greeting is early, as Canada Day actually takes place tomorrow, July 1. Since I will be away from the Internet tomorrow, I'm saying my two cents worth today.

I took this photo of a squirrel the other night. There are two things that are cool about this.

First, I happened to catch him just as he was getting ready to dart away. Check out his taut, outstretched body. If I had snapped the photo a nanosecond later, we'd be looking at a gray/brown blur.

Second, check out the "frame" or border. I got the idea for this from a photo that was posted on Steve's Forums yesterday. In response to someone's question about how he had done the frame, the photographer said that he was testing a trial version of some software. I looked at his photo (a gorgeous night shot of the Chicago city skyline, by the way) for a few seconds and then posted my own note. I told him not to buy the software yet, because I had an idea about how he could probably get the same effect with his regular photo editor. I outlined my idea, then went home and tried it.

The concept is to have a sharp photo centered inside a "frame" that is made from a blurred version of the same photo. The way to do this is to have two copies of the photo. You blur the bottom copy, then paste the clear copy (reduced to a slightly smaller size so that the frame shows at the edges) on top. Then, you put a border around the edge of the clear copy. This is the result. I've already posted it on the original thread at Steve's. I hope I helped the guy save a few bucks.

Last photo for today. The approach here is minimalist. I took the original in color, then decided that it would work better in black and white. The only colors in the original were blue sky, dark brown birds and black wire, so the colors did not have any strong appeal. By getting rid of the colors, I was able to lighten the sky, boost the contrast and emphasize the strong diagonal line of the wire and the shapes of the birds. Sometimes there's a lot to be said for simplicity.

Where's Waldo?

The first Where's Waldo? children's book was published in 1987. Since that time, Waldo has become a world-wide phenomenon. More books followed, plus a short TV series, plus several video games.

Waldo wears blue pants, a red-and-white striped shirt and a red-and-white hat. The object of the stories is to find Waldo, who is hidden somewhere in a crowd. He also loses things, so sometimes the reader/player has to help him find his stuff too.

As I walked in the park last night, I found myself engaged in my own game of Where's Waldo?. I watched a little bird fly into a tree about fifty yards away from me. Since I had tracked its flight, I had an idea where he had landed. I picked up my camera and focused on the area where I thought he was. Check out the photo below. He's hidden in the foliage.


You've probably spotted him, but just in case you need some help, I've marked his place in the next photo.

I wasn't sure that I had actually gotten the bird in the photo until I uploaded it onto my computer. I marveled at the amazing camouflage that the foliage provided for the bird. If I hadn't tracked its flight, I never would have found him the tree.

One final photo, a closer crop of the bird,is provided below. I suspect that many bird enthusiasts would not be impressed with any of these photos, especially the one below. The idea behind most bird photos is to get an unimpeded view of the bird. I like those shots as well as the next person and I love it on those rare occasions when I get them. Nevertheless, the thing I like about this series is that it's completely natural. In most encounters between human and avian species, the avians either flee or hide from the predatory humans. These photos document that phenomenon realistically. They may not be art, but they are true to life.

Holiday Weekend Getaway!

Unlike the last holiday weekend (Memorial Day), this time all four of us will be together. This holiday is a little weird, since the actual holiday falls on Tuesday. Oh well, I'll take them any way I can get them.

We are taking the RV to a campground about an hour away from home. Since we haven't camped there before, I suspect Dave will provide a review of the campground on his blog sometime next week. It's shaping up to be a pretty busy getaway weekend, which shouldn't surprise me.

We will all camp on Friday night. So far, pretty normal. That's where normalcy ends.

On Saturday afternoon, Joshua has to attend a marching band rehearsal. Yes, I know school just got out last week. It doesn't matter - they are already getting ready for next year's show. They had a rehearsal on the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!! While all the other students were boarding buses to go home, the Marching Band students stayed behind to read through their new music. Anyway, since Joshua has to rehearse, Dave and I will drop him off at the meeting place (a student's house, it's just a trombone sectional) and do some sightseeing, probably the Air & Space Museum at Dulles Airport (Dave wants to try out his newest toy - a digital SLR camera). Then, we will pick up Joshua and head back to the campground, where Jonathan will likely have spent the day snoozing.

On Sunday morning, Jonathan and Joshua will head to the Fairfax corps, where the students from the divisional music conservatory will be doing the service. Since Joshua will miss all of the usual music camps this summer, he wants to go to the service to see his friends. Dave and I will probably spend the day vegging by the pool. On Sunday night, I will head back into town because I have to work on Monday. I think Dave is taking a vacation day. Jonathan will probably come back with me.

So, on Monday, Jonathan and I will work while Dave and Joshua veg. I will return to the campground on Monday night for one last hurrah. I don't know if Jonathan will come too or just stay home. I probably won't know until Monday night.

On Tuesday morning we will slowly take things down, then return home in the afternoon.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

I guess I shouldn't complain about the rain, really. The water table has been dangerously low in recent months. If this rain soaks in, that problem should be solved. It's been raining hard for a couple of days and the forecasters are calling for still more over the next few days. Since I was stuck inside most of yesterday, I played in the kitchen. Here's what I cooked up. I'm sure you can figure out the ingredients.

Tag, You're It

Oh, man! Yesterday Barb tagged me for 8 categories. Then, I woke up this morning to find that Joanne had added 4 more categories! I'd better take my turn and get out before anyone adds anything else. :-)

4 Jobs I've Held
Lifeguard at Camp Ladore
Lifeguard at Jackson's Point Camp
Salvation Army Officer (some say this is a calling, not a job, but we won't quibble here)
Adjunct Instructor, Kirkwood Community College

4 Movies I Could (and do) Watch Over and Over
The Sound of Music
The Godfather I & II
Original Star Wars Trilogy (yes, all three, but especially #2)
Something's Gotta Give

4 Places I've Lived
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Toronto, Ontario
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Iowa City, Iowa

4 TV Shows I Must Watch (This is tough because I hardly ever watch TV)
Law & Order: SVU (late night reruns, usually)
Keeping Up Appearances
Sorry, I don't have two more. I usually watch sports events and movies

4 Places I've Been on Vacation
Los Angeles, California - Rose Bowl 2003
Lake Superior
Rocky Mountain National Park
Disneyworld
Okay, I'm going to bend the rules here and add some more:
Prince Edward Island
Outer Banks, North Carolina
Lake of the Woods

4 Favorite Dinners
Veal Parmigiana
Spaghetti & (lots of) Meatballs
New York Strip Steak & Baked Potato (or sweet potato)
Turkey with all the trimmings

4 Web Sites I Visit Daily
My family members' blogs
Netscape (I've got to check my email)
Steves Digicams
Barnes & Noble

4 Places I'd Rather Be Right Now
My RV
Outer Banks
Iowa
Lake Superior or Lake of the Woods

4 Bloggers I'm Tagging
Chris
Jenn
James
Cathy

4 Most Cherished Possessions
My RV
My piano
My camera
My bike

4 Least Favorite Chores
Dusting and Vacuuming (that’s why I have Dave)
Taking out the Garbage (that’s why I have Jonathan)
Dishes (that’s why I have Joshua)
Cleaning Bathrooms and Kitchen (that’s why I should have had at least one more child)

4 Best Stress Relievers
Reading
Walking/Hiking/Biking
Playing the piano
Photography (Joanne's fourth pick works too - 'nuff said)

The Tale of the Ring

Many years ago, my brother's wife lost her wedding and engagement rings while swimming in a lake. Needless to say, she was heartsick for a long time afterwards.

The following is an imaginary account of what could have happened that day.

***********************

Zack surged to the surface, clenching his fist tightly and shaking the water from his curly brown hair. Standing waist-deep in the water, he examined the shiny object in his palm.

“Look at the size of that rock!” he thought.

Zack placed the ring snugly on his pinky, the only finger it would fit, and admired it. The ring was gorgeous, sporting a large diamond (it had to be at least ½ carat) on a wide gold band. Thinking quickly, he turned the diamond in toward his palm. He didn’t want anyone to see him, a fifteen-year-old guy, wearing a girl’s ring! Wading through the water, he noticed a young lady, perhaps 20 years old, shaking her head and crying. She huddled against the chest of a young man. Zack peeked at the ring on his finger and wondered if it belonged to the woman on the shore.

Grimacing, he thought: Tough luck. You know what they say – finders keepers and all that. I can get a sweet sum for this baby and buy that iPod I’ve been looking at for the past month.

Zack scanned the beach, frowning when he spotted a neatly folded newspaper in his father’s chair. After plodding across the beach, he picked up the paper, glanced at the masthead and stopped so abruptly that he fell flat on his butt.

“This can’t be right,” he murmured.

Shaking his head, he studied the paper carefully. The date on the masthead had not changed. It read, in bold, black ink:

Friday, August 19, 1977

Chuckling, he called out, “Good one, Dad. You almost had me fooled for a moment.”

When his father did not respond, Zack began eyeing the people on the beach. Many of the guys wore cut-off denim shorts with ragged fringes. The girls wore bikinis and swimsuits with bibs reminiscent of baby doll negligees. Nobody wore loose, baggy swimsuits like Zack’s. Looking closer, he noticed that many of the guys had unfashionably long hair and many of the girls wore their hair long, straight and parted in the middle. Several of them, guys and gals alike, wore round wire-framed tinted sunglasses a la John Lennon.

Feeling slightly disoriented, Zack flipped through the paper to the box scores:

National League (scores from August 18)
Pittsburgh 7, Chicago 6
San Francisco 0, Los Angeles 7
Philadelphia 8, Montreal 3

“Wait a minute!” muttered Zack. “The Montreal Expos moved just a few months ago! They’re the Washington Nationals now.”

Zack thumbed his way to the entertainment section and fastened his eyes on an item in the middle of the movie page: Star Wars was still drawing sell-out crowds in local theatres.

Feeling queasy now, Zack called out, “Does anybody know what day it is?”

A chubby fellow lying on a blanket nearby answered, “It’s right there in your hand, buddy. Friday, August 19, 1977.”

Zack staggered to his feet and stumbled into the parking lot. Unable to find his father’s Chevy Suburban, Zack leaned against a tree and threw up. “Oh, no!” he thought, “I’ve traveled backwards twenty-eight years!” Clearing the last remnants of vomit from his throat, he shuddered at his next thought: I haven’t even been born yet! Arching his back, rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck, Zack muttered, “This is impossible. I’ve got to find a way to get back to when I belong.” He paused a moment, then decided: Before I go back, I might as well cash in the ring.

Having settled on a plan of sorts, Zack started hiking to town. Fifteen minutes later, a twenty-something guy with bright green eyes, a friendly, slightly dopey-looking grin and a long brown ponytail pulled alongside him in a pickup truck. “You look like you could use a ride,” he said to Zack. As Zack climbed in, the driver said, “Your feet must be awfully hot. What happened to your shoes, man?”

Thinking quickly, Zack replied, “My car was stolen. My shoes, pants, wallet and everything were in there.”

“Bummer, man,” replied the driver. “So, where do you want to go?”

Zack considered his options. Figuring the guy would expect a cut of the cash if he knew Zack’s intentions, Zack said, “Just drop me off at the corner of Main and Washington. I don’t want to trouble you too much.” Then, to forestall any further conversation, he leaned his head against the back of the seat and dozed.

A short time later, having arrived at his destination, Zack jumped out of the truck and took a few minutes to look around. Some of the buildings were familiar, but they looked a lot newer than they had yesterday. “Well, of course,” he realized. “Yesterday these buildings were twenty-eight years older than they are today!” Unable to dislodge that bizarre idea from his head, he headed toward the pawnshop.

Zack opened a grimy door and entered a tiny, dusty, dimly lit building. Ambling over to the counter, he called out, “I found this ring at the lake a little while ago. How much will you give me for it?” He tried to pull the ring off his finger but it wouldn’t budge! Frantic, Zack raced to the washroom and ran cold water over his hand, hoping to contract the skin enough to loosen the ring. Ten minutes later, the ring still wouldn’t move. It was jammed so tightly that he couldn’t even twist it around on his finger.

“Great,” thought Zack. “I’m stuck twenty-eight years in the past with a lady’s ring on my finger.” Dejected and having nowhere else to go, Zack left the pawnshop and headed back toward the beach.

As Zack trudged down the road, a pickup truck pulled up beside him. Recognizing the Good Samaritan he had met earlier, Zack hustled into the truck and asked for a ride back to the beach. Before Zack could settle back and doze, the driver asked him, “Did you finish what you had to do downtown?” Zack mumbled, “No. If you don’t mind, I really don’t want to talk about it.” They rode the rest of the way in silence.

When they arrived at the beach, Zack suddenly realized how grimy he felt. He thanked the driver for yet another ride, leaped out of the truck, darted across the beach and dove into the lake. When he emerged from the water, he noticed the same young woman he had seen earlier in the day. She and her boyfriend were still searching for her ring.

Zack studied the ring on his hand – her ring, he was sure – and regretted having found it. He’d thought it was a great break: it was easy money and he really wanted that iPod. Instead, he’d been catapulted into a timeframe in which he didn’t belong, with a ring he no longer wanted stuck fast to his aching finger. He wanted desperately to escape the greatest disaster of his life. He yearned to return to 2005 and be with his dad again. Taking a deep breath, Zack choked back his tears and decided to do one thing that he was sure was right.

Zack swam over to where the young woman peered at the lake’s sandy bottom. Lifting his hand out of the water, he showed her the ring he had found and asked if it was hers. He knew the answer when her blue eyes lit up with joy. Reaching down, he twisted the ring off his finger and handed it to her. Embarrassed by her gratitude, Zack dove into the water and descended as deeply as he could.

When Zack could hold his breath no longer, he burst through the water and shook his curly brown hair. He scanned the beach and giggled with delight when he spotted his father reading the newspaper. Sweeping his thinning brown hair back from his forehead, Zack’s father looked up and flashed a friendly, slightly dopey-looking grin at his son. Narrowing his eyes and shaking his head, Zack thought, “No, it can’t be.”

Strolling uncertainly over to his father, Zack looked into his bright green eyes and asked, “Dad, do you know what day it is?” Zack’s father smiled knowingly and answered, “It’s Friday, August 19, 2005. Will be all day.”

FATHER'S DAY

I've had the privilege of having not one, not two, but three fathers in my life.

The first, of course is my natural father. Unfortunately, he died while I was in my early 20s, so I've missed out on the joy of cultivating an adult relationship with him. Dad was a great New York Yankees fan. He loved baseball and softball and he loved his Yankees. I remember watching many baseball games on TV together, as well as trekking to New York City several times every summer to watch the Yankees play at Yankee Stadium.

Dad also loved life and he shared that love with everyone around him.Whenever Dad entered the room, everybody knew he was there. A friend of mine was visiting once and she laughingly said, "Everything was quiet until your dad got home. He walked in the door and the entire house went into an uproar!"

Most importantly, Dad loved people, especially those whom nobody else loved. I remember asking him once why he took so much trouble helping a particular unkempt fellow. His response: Somebody has to love him for Jesus' sake. WOW! You know what? Those weren't just words - they were the creed by which Dad lived. Dad truly loved everybody he knew and he prayed hard and worked hard to do his part to make their lives better.

The second father in my life is my father-in-law. Throughout the 27 years of my marriage to his son, my father-in-law has always been loving and supportive. Dave and I have always respected Dad's wisdom and we've sought his advice on many occasions. And on those occasions when we've just needed a listening ear, Dad has been there. Always able to distinguish when we need advice and when we need to vent, Dad knows when to speak and when to listen quietly. He's a lot quieter than my father was, but he commands just as much love and respect.

The third father in my life is my step-father, my mother's second husband. Paul has been a wonderful blessing to my mother and to my family. He and my mother were both relatively young when they were widowed. They were coping with widowhood, but it wasn't easy for either of them. When they renewed acquaintances they found new soulmates with whom to share their golden years. They've been married almost 21 years. Paul has never tried to replace my dad, but he's been a true father in his own way. He's also been a wonderful grandfather to my sons, who never knew my dad.

So, in memory of my first father and in appreciation for the loving fatherhood of my father-in-law and step-father, I say Happy Father's Day.

Learning Something New

Since I love photographing nature, I'm being forced to learn about the creatures I shoot. I figure I should at least try to learn their names. I've got two easy ones today: a crow and a gray squirrel. Both of these animals are common in this area. The crow in the photo here is quite small, only 6 inches or so. It must be pretty young. The gray squirrel is the most common variety in the eastern USA. They are everywhere.
































Okay, so what have I learned? Well, if you look at my post from two days ago, you'll see a picture of a Red Eared Pond Turtle. It never occurred to me that the red patches were his (her) ears! As Mr. Spock (or Mr. Data) would say: fascinating!

The bird that I posted that day was obviously a male. I have since confirmed that he is a goldfinch. I didn't know that his breeding plumage (which I was lucky enough to capture in that shot) is significantly brighter than his ordinary plumage. I just figured male birds were always much more colorful than female ones.

Obviously, my Ph.D. is not in biology! I've got an awful lot to learn about the world around me. Isn't that pathetic? As long as I've lived on this planet, you'd think I'd know more about it. I'd better get to it.

Look at What I Found in the Park!

Today I met a couple of critters that I haven't seen before. The turtle didn't run away - he (she) just kept turning his head to see what I was doing. I guess I didn't frighten him (or her) too much. The bird was much less cooperative. He kept flitting from branch to branch and wouldn't sit still for more than a couple of seconds.

Weekend in Pennsylvania

This past weekend we traveled to Pennsylvania to spend some time with Mom and Paul.

Upon arriving mid-morning Saturday, we had a chance to visit with Dennis, Erma and Tracy before they continued on to New Jersey for Commissioning weekend. Following a light lunch, Mom took Dave, the boys and me to Intercouse, PA to do some shopping. The plaza was a quaint little tourist trap that sells purportedly authentic Amish goods at exorbitant prices. Nevertheless, Dave and I managed to find a couple of items that we liked. That's typical; we always buy something when we visit Mom.

We all spent a quiet evening together on Saturday, then went to the Lancaster Salvation Army corps on Sunday morning. In addition to its rather traditional corps, Lancaster has a thriving minstry to the area's growing Hispanic population. The traditional corps also embraces the men of the New Life addictions rehabilitation program. Traditional and new Salvationists enjoy a wonderful fellowship. The established saints guide the new converts as they begin their spiritual journeys. In turn, the new converts inspire the saints as their lives give evidence that God still transforms people one at a time. Christian fellowship doesn't get much better than that.

Paul, at 81 years old, still helps the corps with its business matters. He was the eastern territorial property secretary for countless years and he finished his career as the eastern territorial business manager. The corps officers would be crazy not to draw on his wisdom and experience. Mom, who turned 78 last week, still attends the Home League. In all, about 15 retired officers attend and support the Lancaster corps. What a wonderful resource for the corps people and the corps officers!

After a nice service, which Joshua enlivened with one of his seizure-fainting spells (the first one in four years - I was hoping he'd outgrown them), we enjoyed a nice lunch at Hoss's steak house. Upon finishing lunch, the Sears family and the Seilers parted ways. As usual, the visit ended far too quickly. I'm already looking forward to our next visit, which is scheduled to occur in early August.

Your Boy

Since our generation of the Sears family has spawned 10 boys and only 4 girls, the following book may be of interest. You may also enjoy the book even if you are not a Sears.

************

Your Boy: Raising a Godly Son in an Ungodly World

Author: Vicki Courtney
Publisher: Broadman & Holman Publishers
ISBN: 0-8054-3055-5


* Did you know that children from ages eight through eighteen are referred to as “Generation M?” Can you guess why?

* Did you know that a study completed in 2001 revealed that 55% of American eleventh graders have had sexual intercourse?

* Do you know what Xanga and Myspace are?

If you are a mother and you answered “no” to any of these questions, you’ll want to read Your Boy.

Even though Courtney frequently discusses the roles fathers play in their sons’ development, this book is clearly addressed to mothers. Courtney acknowledges that, particularly in the early years, mothers are the primary formative influence on their children. Also, since 18% of American children live in households led by single or divorced females, it is safe to assume that, in many cases, mothers carry the bulk of the responsibility for child rearing in American society.

Writing from an evangelical Christian perspective, Courtney addresses a range of issues covering the entire span of boyhood from infancy to adulthood. Do you want to raise a Mama’s Boy? Courtney discusses the harmful effects of over protectiveness. Do you want to raise a boy who treats women with courtesy and respect? Courtney provides “A Nice Guy’s Dating Rules.” Do you want to know what your children are doing when they are online? Courtney provides advice about monitoring computer usage and recommends specific software that assists in that task.

The book is generally written and organized well, but one glaring editorial error will leap out at the reader. In chapter 8, “Surviving a Sex-Obsessed Culture,” Courtney promises to address three “basic assumptions that Christian mothers make prior to (or during) the teen years” (p. 105). I was disappointed when she only discussed two assumptions. I have searched the book cover to cover and failed to find the third one. Otherwise, this is one of the most compelling chapters of the book. The subsequent chapter, “Staying In Line When Online” is also helpful. These two chapters alone make the book worthwhile.

The least persuasive part of this book deals with what Courtney calls “the assault on biblical manhood” (p. 157). She traces the roots of atrocious manners and extended adolescence to the sexual revolution and radical women’s liberation movement of the 1960s. Citing the differences between issues of Seventeen that were published in the 1950s and recent issues of that magazine, she portrays the 1950s and earlier decades as a somewhat ideal age when Christian values dominated the American landscape. Courtney believes that a reversion to “traditional” gender roles as they are usually defined and promoted by evangelical Christians will go a long way toward curing the ills of American society in general, as well as those of American families in particular.

Courtney, a mother of three teenagers and the founder of a ministry called Virtuous Reality, has written several books for women and teens. The counterpart to Your Boy is entitled, Your Girl: Raising a Godly Daughter in an Ungodly World. She is a clear, concise writer who utilizes a fairly good range of research materials. Your Boy will appeal to parents who agree with an evangelical Christian worldview. Even so, the book offers practical advice for all parents, regardless of their particular religious or philosophical leanings.

By the way, Generation M stands for Generation Media. Read the book to find out what it means!

Some More Concert Photos

Just three more photos from Joshua's latest concert. The first one is the full concert band. This is actually the combined Concert I and Concert II bands. The second is a close-up of Joshua. The third is a detail shot of a guy playing a marimba solo.

A Couple of Days in the Life of a Band Mom!

These past few days have been hectic!

On Thursday evening, Joshua had his final concert of the school year. This one is always a marathon. In addition to featuring three concert bands and two jazz bands, all seniors are invited to present solos, duets, etc. This year's program consisted of eleven senior items, six jazz band items and thirteen concert band items. It lasted a little more than three hours and there was no intermission.

Then, on Friday evening, we attended the band banquet. This, if you can believe it, was even longer than the concert! By the time we ate our pot luck dinner, had various speeches and awards, the program lasted four hours.

You'd think today, being Saturday, would have been relaxing. Yeah, right!

The day began at about 10:30 AM with Joshua and I running out to pay the bill for the annual inspection/servicing of our RV. Then, I took Joshua to buy some books for his summer reading assignments. We had a quick lunch, then I took Joshua to a friend's house for a party. From there I went straight to the airport to pick up Dave, who had been in Atlanta since Thursday morning. Yes, he missed the concert and the banquet! From the airport, we went to pick up our RV and park it in its summer storage spot behind the Fairfax corps. From there we picked up Joshua, then arrived home at about 4:30 PM. If I have too many days like this, I'm going to have to go to work to rest!

Anyway, the busy-ness is over and I've survived another year-end concert and banquet cycle. The good news: two down, only two more to go!

Photos: #1 is Joshua in concert band mode/attire; #2 & 3 show Joshua in jazz band mode/attire. The black tux is nice, but I really like the white one!