Saturday evening my boy and I were fishing late, and as the sun set behind the hill, I noticed how beautiful this view was, so I got my phone and took a picture.
You may have to click to enlarge, but the colors are just amazing, well, in my opinion they are.
I was excited about how it came out.
I was sad that I lost a fish in the process.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Geocaching
I first heard of Geocaching from Steven a couple years ago but didn't have a GPS to give it a try. About a month ago, I got a new cel phone that runs Windows Mobile and has a built in GPS in it (more on my phone later). So, after searching a bit on Geocaching and for some software that I could use with geocaching, my boy and I went for our first hunt.
We had a blast! I had found a cache that was close to the house, and went up to see if he was up to go on a treasure hunt. Not only did he say it sounded fun, but he put down his DS, and picked out something to leave in the cache and came happy as could be.
When we found the cache, he wanted to go find another one. Since I only had the one loaded in the phone, I told him no, but we could do more later.
I've got 4 more loaded up and ready to go.
As we were leaving, we caught a great sunset.
UPDATE:
I forgot to mention that this was the cache we found.
We had a blast! I had found a cache that was close to the house, and went up to see if he was up to go on a treasure hunt. Not only did he say it sounded fun, but he put down his DS, and picked out something to leave in the cache and came happy as could be.
When we found the cache, he wanted to go find another one. Since I only had the one loaded in the phone, I told him no, but we could do more later.
I've got 4 more loaded up and ready to go.
As we were leaving, we caught a great sunset.
UPDATE:
I forgot to mention that this was the cache we found.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Storms
Well, it's 3:45 a.m. About an hour ago if that, I was awaken to tornado sirens.
I get up, and turn on the TV and check the computer to see whats going on. Sure enough, rotation west of Sperry, headed this way.
I watch the TV for a bit to really make sure that it's headed this way.
Let me explain for my non-Okie friends, tornadoes can go in a V shaped path from the point of the rotation. So, paths can very a pretty good distance, and even though you are in the path, if you are on one of the outside paths, then, you're pretty safe... if you are in the center, well, not so much.
We were in the center of the path.
So, I woke up my wife, and we watched the weather reports for a while. We didn't want to wake the kids for no reason. I don't want them to feel like we cry wolf or in the case of my boy, grow up scared of storms (And in my bedroom every night it storms).
Things were going ok. It was on track straight for our town, but no rotation had been spotted, and it seemed to be weakening. I was feeling pretty good about going back to bed. Then they cut to a storm chaser*. He said he was a bit east of my town, and was watching the storm. He saw confirmed rotation above my town! Hello, that got my attention, so I did what any self respecting redneck would do, I walked out on the back porch to see for myself.
But when the winds got very strong and hail started pummeling the house so I came back in. Then the tornado indexes shot up on the storm (they had dropped low) and the storm chaser talked about seeing a power flash in town, and another. Did you catch that? IN TOWN.
I was looking out the window at the same time looking for his power flashes, and then I saw one! It was either AT the church next door, or across the street! About the same time my wife said OK as I said NOW!
I hollered at my daughter to get up and head to the basement and I ran up the stairs and grabbed my son and we all ran to the basement! I got my daughter under the stairs wrapped in a blanket. My wife sat down at her feet and our son crawled up in her lap, and they wrapped up in a blanket. I stood posed to cover them up if necessary... then I realized, I didn't have a blanket to protect me from anything.
So, again, I did what any self respectin redneck would do, I came upstairs to get one, and since I was upstairs, I might as well look out the window. I took a quick look, and then as I headed to get a blanket, I grabbed the remote and turned up the TV nice and loud so we could hear it downstairs! I grabbed a blanket, and went back downstairs. I wrapped the blanket over my back, and was prepared to throw myself on my family to protect them from anything that might come.
We waited for a bit and listened... and waited. Then I did what any self respecting nerd would do, and pulled up the radar on my phone. It looked like it had passed, so I came back up and verified it was good, and the family came back up and everyone headed back to bed.
Except me. I decided to blog. I've been in many storms in my life. Gone to the cellar more times than I care to count, but I don't believe I have ever been this scared.
As I sit here typing this, another round of VERY heavy storms above the house. I keep hitting save just in case I lose power.
Anyway, it looks like that's it. Guess I'll watch a bit more TV and then try to go to bed soon... the alarm will go off before I'd like it to.
(oh, and the hail was about pea sized or so)
*Storm Chasers - again, for my non-okie friends storm chasers are people that are a few fries short of a Happy Meal, and when strong storms come out, they get in the cars and chase these storms. Some chase from behind, some from in front! They have their phone, and cameras and other high tech gear (now anyway), and report into the TV station what they are seeing. Now, don't get me wrong about saying they are a few fries short. They really do help the stations let people know whats going on.
I get up, and turn on the TV and check the computer to see whats going on. Sure enough, rotation west of Sperry, headed this way.
I watch the TV for a bit to really make sure that it's headed this way.
Let me explain for my non-Okie friends, tornadoes can go in a V shaped path from the point of the rotation. So, paths can very a pretty good distance, and even though you are in the path, if you are on one of the outside paths, then, you're pretty safe... if you are in the center, well, not so much.
We were in the center of the path.
So, I woke up my wife, and we watched the weather reports for a while. We didn't want to wake the kids for no reason. I don't want them to feel like we cry wolf or in the case of my boy, grow up scared of storms (And in my bedroom every night it storms).
Things were going ok. It was on track straight for our town, but no rotation had been spotted, and it seemed to be weakening. I was feeling pretty good about going back to bed. Then they cut to a storm chaser*. He said he was a bit east of my town, and was watching the storm. He saw confirmed rotation above my town! Hello, that got my attention, so I did what any self respecting redneck would do, I walked out on the back porch to see for myself.
But when the winds got very strong and hail started pummeling the house so I came back in. Then the tornado indexes shot up on the storm (they had dropped low) and the storm chaser talked about seeing a power flash in town, and another. Did you catch that? IN TOWN.
I was looking out the window at the same time looking for his power flashes, and then I saw one! It was either AT the church next door, or across the street! About the same time my wife said OK as I said NOW!
I hollered at my daughter to get up and head to the basement and I ran up the stairs and grabbed my son and we all ran to the basement! I got my daughter under the stairs wrapped in a blanket. My wife sat down at her feet and our son crawled up in her lap, and they wrapped up in a blanket. I stood posed to cover them up if necessary... then I realized, I didn't have a blanket to protect me from anything.
So, again, I did what any self respectin redneck would do, I came upstairs to get one, and since I was upstairs, I might as well look out the window. I took a quick look, and then as I headed to get a blanket, I grabbed the remote and turned up the TV nice and loud so we could hear it downstairs! I grabbed a blanket, and went back downstairs. I wrapped the blanket over my back, and was prepared to throw myself on my family to protect them from anything that might come.
We waited for a bit and listened... and waited. Then I did what any self respecting nerd would do, and pulled up the radar on my phone. It looked like it had passed, so I came back up and verified it was good, and the family came back up and everyone headed back to bed.
Except me. I decided to blog. I've been in many storms in my life. Gone to the cellar more times than I care to count, but I don't believe I have ever been this scared.
As I sit here typing this, another round of VERY heavy storms above the house. I keep hitting save just in case I lose power.
Anyway, it looks like that's it. Guess I'll watch a bit more TV and then try to go to bed soon... the alarm will go off before I'd like it to.
(oh, and the hail was about pea sized or so)
*Storm Chasers - again, for my non-okie friends storm chasers are people that are a few fries short of a Happy Meal, and when strong storms come out, they get in the cars and chase these storms. Some chase from behind, some from in front! They have their phone, and cameras and other high tech gear (now anyway), and report into the TV station what they are seeing. Now, don't get me wrong about saying they are a few fries short. They really do help the stations let people know whats going on.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Garden and stuff
Yesterday (Saturday) I decided to get the tiller working again. The pull string broke last year, and I said I'd fix it before the Spring.... well, Spring got here, and I didn't have it fixed.
So, if we are going to have any veggies, I have to get the tiller fixed, or break out the hoe and get to work. So, I go to Atwoods and get a replacement, I get home and finally figure out how to change it out.
While doing that, I realized the belts are in sad shape. So sad, I'm surprised they didn't break instead. That got me to thinking, so I checked the air filter, and it was in sad shape as well. So, I take them off and head back to Atwoods.
They no longer make the same type of air filter, but i found one that was similar, and got it. But I don't know the length of my belts... so I walk around looking for the tape measures. I then try to measure the belts. I go back to the other side of the store, and get the belts.
After getting home and trying to get the belts on, I realize that one belt was to big, the other, too small. So, I cut them and measure them... sure enough, one was 1 inch to large, the other 1 inch to small. Since I was going through all this trouble, I checked the spark plug, and I'm surprised it could spark.
Anyway, I finally get everything replaced and put back together, and couldn't get it started... I gave up and went fishing. Got 2 small perch.
Today, after church, I got back out there, and emptied out the old gas, and put in fresh, and got it to start up. So, I got the garden tilled. In celebrations, I went fishing. Didn't catch anything. Because of everything that has been going on, and how hard this week has been for my wife, we stayed home to spend some time as a family, and we went ahead and planted the garden. We have corn, and brussel sprouts, jalapeños, and tomatoes. We already have some onions, cilantro, and oregano going. My boy wants some cucumbers, but I need to till up some more dirt before I can get them planted.
So, if we are going to have any veggies, I have to get the tiller fixed, or break out the hoe and get to work. So, I go to Atwoods and get a replacement, I get home and finally figure out how to change it out.
While doing that, I realized the belts are in sad shape. So sad, I'm surprised they didn't break instead. That got me to thinking, so I checked the air filter, and it was in sad shape as well. So, I take them off and head back to Atwoods.
They no longer make the same type of air filter, but i found one that was similar, and got it. But I don't know the length of my belts... so I walk around looking for the tape measures. I then try to measure the belts. I go back to the other side of the store, and get the belts.
After getting home and trying to get the belts on, I realize that one belt was to big, the other, too small. So, I cut them and measure them... sure enough, one was 1 inch to large, the other 1 inch to small. Since I was going through all this trouble, I checked the spark plug, and I'm surprised it could spark.
Anyway, I finally get everything replaced and put back together, and couldn't get it started... I gave up and went fishing. Got 2 small perch.
Today, after church, I got back out there, and emptied out the old gas, and put in fresh, and got it to start up. So, I got the garden tilled. In celebrations, I went fishing. Didn't catch anything. Because of everything that has been going on, and how hard this week has been for my wife, we stayed home to spend some time as a family, and we went ahead and planted the garden. We have corn, and brussel sprouts, jalapeños, and tomatoes. We already have some onions, cilantro, and oregano going. My boy wants some cucumbers, but I need to till up some more dirt before I can get them planted.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
More Prayer
Last Tuesday, I asked for prayer, and I thank you. Today I ask for it again, but for a different reason.
Yesterday morning (Wednesday), Treiton passed away. He was the sweetest 6.5 year old I knew. He was funny and brave. He enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest.
Please pray for his family and everyone who knew him as they morn his passing. Our heads tell us his in a better place now. He's no longer in pain, and is in the presence of our Lord. But our hearts miss him terribly. And for my wife and I, we see our boy, and see what his parents will miss.
His funeral is set for Saturday.
Yesterday morning (Wednesday), Treiton passed away. He was the sweetest 6.5 year old I knew. He was funny and brave. He enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest.
Please pray for his family and everyone who knew him as they morn his passing. Our heads tell us his in a better place now. He's no longer in pain, and is in the presence of our Lord. But our hearts miss him terribly. And for my wife and I, we see our boy, and see what his parents will miss.
His funeral is set for Saturday.
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