Springtime!

It is definatly Spring in Oklahoma. My wife got these flowers the the other day and she got them planted in the front flowerbed. The new and extra color was really nice. I worked on my shot and took several pictures. I liked the way this one came out. The only editing I performed on this picture was to crop it some.

Overall, I'm pleased with it. I personally like the depth I was able to achieve.

Bradford Pear

It's feeling like spring here in Oklahoma. Flowers and trees are blooming and for the last few days anyway, it's been warm. Today's picture is brought to you by a beautiful, if not stinky tree, the Bradford Pear. I love how these trees look during the spring. I'm just glad I don't have any by my house, because they stink. I have to walk by them to and from work everyday, and I don't look forward to it.

The sun was just coming over the horizon this morning as I was walking into work, and the sunlight was shining on the white blooms. So I grabbed my camera and took a few pictures. I like the depth I was able to get in this picture. How the front flowers stand out against those in the background, and all of them offset with the blue sky.

Personally, I think you should click on the picture to see a larger image of it. I think it looks even better that way.

Snake in the leaves

It was a nice sunny Sunday afternoon. So I grabbed my camera, and decided to take a walk out long the fence line out back and see what I might see. While walking to the back of the yard where the trees, rocks and tall grass is located, I saw something orange out of the corner of my eye. I was shocked to see this snake. Seeing snakes isn't unusual. That's one of the nice things I like about living in the country. I get to see all sorts of different wildlife. What caught my attention was the color. I'd never seen a snake like this in the wild before. So, I kept my distance and took several pictures of it.

Later, when I got in and got the pictures off the camera I was able to zoom in and get a better look at the snake. And after doing some research, I'm pretty sure it's a scarlet king snake. Non-poisonous, but very cool.

Getting back to the picture, the top picture is the original. I was leaning over the fence and zoomed in as far as possible. I might could have been able to get closer, but until I knew exactly what kind of snake it was, I wanted to keep my distance. I'm all for good pictures, but another trip to the emergency room is not what I had in mind. So, I went ahead and cropped the photo to get a much better look at the snake.

Bird House in the Woods

On February 10 and 11th, I went with our Boy Scout Troop camping at Camp McClintock. While there, I had some time, and went out to take some pictures as well as taking the camera along when we went on a hike. While there, I found this bird house hung on a tree out in the woods. It was about 15 yards or so from one of the paths.

Snow Moon

Tonight's almost full moon gave me a chance to go out and play with some of the settings on my camera. I had a couple shots without the moon in it, and was able to see several more starts in the shot than what's in this one. I had the shutter open for 30 seconds, which is probably too much, and perhaps I'll mess with that some tomorrow. Also, if I can figure out how to get the flash to go off, it might make for a better picture of the tree in the foreground and then have the moon and the star(s) in the background.

Silent Watcher

I liked the way this picture turned out. I liked the shadows, the textures, the colors, and the contrasts. I've been working on framing my pictures too. Taking the time to try different framings, and then taking the time to go through my pictures and delete the ones I don't like. So what I'm left with is the ones I really like. So that's what I've been trying to do.

Opening Files slow from File Explorer (XP)

So, last week, right before I went off on vacation, I got a new laptop at work. My old one had it's video card go out and I'd had it for several years. Well, I got everything transferred over last week so I could hit the ground running after getting back from vacation.

Well, yesterday, I started noticing that it was taking a very long time to open pictures from the file explorer, so I changed to a different program (from the windows default) and it seemed to work fine after that. Later in the day, I noticed that other files were taking a long time as well, in fact, nearly every file I opened took a long time.

I did some research and read that there could be problems with network drives which could cause this problem, so I disabled all my network drivers, and the problem persisted. So, I searched the the registry looking for the \\ that would be at the front of a networked machine (either name or IP address) to see if anything in my Windows registry was pointed to a network device, and surprise surprise, I found that one of my software programs had it's executable pointed to my old laptop from when I had connected to it to remove old files to copy to the new one. So, I changed the path from the old machine to this one, and my files started opening up fast as expected.

So, if you have that problem, you may want to take a look at that.

First day of 6th grade!

Well, it's that time of year again... School Time! But this time, it's 6th grade, AKA Middle School!

He's a little nervous, but not too bad. I have no concern on his school work. I expect it to be a good year.

As usual, you can click on the pictures to make them larger!

6th Grade

5th Grade

4th Grade

3rd Grade

2nd Grade

1st Grade



Kindergarden


Pre-K

Sleeping Baby

I took this picture back on April 20th using my cell phone instead of my other camera, but I really liked the way it turned out.

I think the best part was he was in my wife's lap, but you can't see that. His head was on one leg, and his legs on the other. There was just enough lighting from the bed side lamp that it illuminated him, but not her.

Good morning!

100_6504, a photo by jarrard@swbell.net on Flickr.

This morning (7/26), I was getting ready for work and looked out and saw this beautiful sunrise. So I grabbed my camera, and went outside to make sure I got a chance to capture it! I was able to take a few other shots to.

It was a beautiful morning.

Via Flickr:
July sunrise!

Sprawl Trilogy

I just finished readying Mona Lisa Overdrive. The third and final book of the William Gibson's Sprawl Trilogy. And I have to say, I'm not sure what I think about it.

I've always enjoyed Neuromancer. Once you get past the sex and the drugs, it's a good book. Now with Count Zero, and Mona Lisa Overdrive, well, I'm just not sure what I think about them.

I'll have to come back and read them through again some time.

He certainly has a different writing style.

Mandatory Water Rationing

Last week, RWD3 started mandatory water rationing. So today was the second day since it started I've been able to water. I've lucked out that I'm able to water on M, W, F.

Friday, I worked from home, so it wasn't bad. Today though, after I got back from my walk, I started watering. I got the garden watered, but wasn't able to finish the flower bed. Luckily, my wife was staying home today, so she'll be able to finish.

So far, so good. Guess we'll see how it goes. It makes me wish I'd set up some of those barrels to catch rain water. May consider it before next season.

Rain!

We got rain this morning.  Sweet, beautiful rain.  We needed it so badly.  It was nice to hear and smell it.  It stopped me from walking,  but I was OK with that.

Google Plus

I got an invite today for Google Plus. So far, it's interesting. There are things about it I really like. The biggest drawback I see at the moment is there aren't that many people using it yet.

How will it do in the long term? Who knows, but I hope more people start using it. I think it has some great potential.

Chess Camp

Today at church and friend of mine was talking about sending 2nd of his kids to chess camp starting tomorrow.  My boy loves chess and would love that.   So I asked him to tell me about it next year.

His wife emailed me to let me know it wasn't too late to enroll him this year.   So after talking with him about it,  we got him all signed up.  He goes each afternoon 1:00 to 4:30.

He's looking forward to it.

I'm not dead yet...

I'm getting better.

Just been lazy.   Just got an official Blogger Android app.

Birthday Cake

Well, it's that time of year again, time for another birthday cake. Big number 11 this time..

This year, he said surprise him. So I did cupcakes and decorated them as pokeballs.

For his 10th birthday, he wanted a Star Destroyer. It didn't turn out so hot. or at least, I didn't think so. He loved it, so I guess that's all that counts.

For his 9th birthday, I made him Spongebob Squarpants. I think I did ok.

His 8th, I made Pokemon:

The year before that Yoda. That year, I did 2 cakes cause we had to parties, and I wasn't happy with the first cake.
Second Cake:

First Cake:

Dish Network and Griffin Communications

For those of you that aren't aware, Dish Network is in yet another contract negotiation where service may be dropped (like they were with Fox Sports earlier in the year). This time it's with Griffin Communications (which is News 9, News On 6 and the Tulsa CW).

Since September, I've been considering dropping Dish Network and going to something else or Over-the-air and streaming. My wife didn't want to cause we'd lose most of the OSU football games. And seeing her point, we decided to keep Dish.

Well, during football season, Dish Network had their "negotiations" with Fox Sports and since they couldn't come to an agreement, stopped airing Fox Sports. I know I missed at least one football game to this.

Now they are threating to drop Channel 6.

I decided that I'd go ahead and write Dish Network a letter tonight and I figured I'd go ahead and share here.

I've been a loyal Dish Network customer since June 1988. But recent actions by your company have me strongly reconsidering my choice of provider. Earlier this year, there was a problem with Fox Sports and now with Griffin Communications.

Next week, if the 2 of you do not come to an agreement, I'll lose the ability to watch the the news channel I wish to watch and other shows my family enjoys.

I'm paying you for that channel, however, if you stop carrying that channel, I doubt you drop the cost of local HD channels. Which means this all comes down to money in YOUR pocket.

I strongly hope you two can come to an agreement before the deadline. If I lose this channel and have to find another way to watch this channel. It may be a permanent change.

The last time this came up, Dish Networks stance was they're trying to save the consumers money. I don't blame Dish Network for wanting to make a profit. That's how things go. Nor to I blame Griffin Com for it either.

I've been really close to dropping Dish. This just might be what it takes.

Fall Poetry

The nights are long and the days are shorter,
The wind does blow and the trees change color.
While the rocks and the trees of evergreen
Change they not or so it seem.

The sky is blue, but oft turn gray.
clouds they come but then go away.
Leaves they rustle like deer walking
Stoke up the fire, tis time for talking.
Come to the fire, it is time for talking

Happy Adoption Day

10 years ago today, I was in court. Not for a ticket or anything like that, but for the adoption of my red-headed girl! She was 11 years old then.

The day I married her momma, I gave her a ring as well. I asked her if she'd be my little girl, and she said yes.

Every year, on this day, I give her a present. But not just any present, they always had to be age-appropriate gifts. On her 2nd adoption day, she got what a 2 year old would get, and so on. I've given her all sorts of things that girls her biological age would not want, but gifts I hope she's found enjoyable. I've told her that the first years of her life I've missed, but gave her gifts as she hit that age on her adoption day.

All but this year. We've caught up to the ages I was around and was able to give her gifts for her birthday (passed actually). This year though, I've bought her a gift that most 10 year old's wouldn't want. But I'll talk more on that on another post. (I'm posting this before she's gotten her gift).

I've never regretted adopting her, though she's NEVER made it easy. Especially not these last few years. No, not these last few years. But family isn't family just when they are easy to live with. No family is your family no matter what. The day I asked her momma to marry me, she became my family.

She is as much my girl as my son is my boy. And as I point out to her. I was stuck with whatever I got with my son. With her, I chose her. I got to choose to be her daddy, and that's nothing to take likely.

Happy Adoption Day sweetheart! Though you can drive me crazy, I love you.
Love's not a feeling. Love's a choice.