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.

5th Grade!!!

Well, it's that time of year again... School Time! But this time, it's 5th grade. The last year of Elementary school. Next year is middle school, but I'm not going to think about that yet. We've got a year ahead of us that will hopefully be a great year!

He's friends with at least 2 kids that are in his class, so that's good.

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

5th Grade

4th Grade

3rd Grade

2nd Grade

1st Grade



Kindergarden


Pre-K

Butt's

Ok, as I said yesterday, I gave my son the camera and said go take pictures. All sorts of pictures. Apparently, he took a picture of his mom's butt.

So, I had downloaded the pictures from the camera to the computer to take a look at what he had done.

So, I'm scrolling through and see...

hehe funny

ok

Well, at least it's in focus... what is he doing.

Oh my goodness! I laughed so hard, I couldn't believe it, just something about seeing 3 pictures of my wife's butt followed by a picture of the dogs butt. Priceless!

(And before anyone asks, I did get permission from my wife to post these... I didn't bother asking the dog.)

A photographer is born!

Today, after church, I gave my camera to my son and told him to go outside and take some pictures. I showed him how to use the camera since he'd never used the camera before and then outside he went. He took a lot of pictures. They were the mix of photo's you'd expect from someone that's never used a camera before. But there were several that I found very cool and wanted to share them!

This was his moss forest.















I was very proud. Course I'm a dad, but I still thought they were good!

Sunrise/Sunset

I love scenery pictures! Especially sunrise and sunsets. Over the last week or so, I've really gotten some good pictures. I figured I'd go ahead and share.

The following sunset picture was taken yesterday evening (July 2nd). I almost missed it, but was able to get a pretty good picture.

The next few pictures I took as the sun was rising June 29th. I had noticed as the sun was rising how pretty it was looking. Then it finally became what I took these pictures of. I still think it looks like the sky was on fire!












This next picture is a bit different. The sun was setting, but in the east, the storm clouds looked very cool with the way the sun was hitting them.

Digging day

We moved into our house a little over a year ago, and we love it! I'd say the biggest problem we have is with drainage when it rains. We never have water in the house, but it would always cover the sidewalk, and the front porch just about every time it rains!

A couple month ago, we added a large flowerbed in the front and took the soil down 2.5 inches. It helped a lot.

However, with the storms a few days ago, the sidewalk was covered again and all the mulch in the bed was floating away. So, Friday, my wife decided she would try to dig a little drainage ditch between the gravel and paved portion of the driveway. While doing that, she found a drain that had been placed there who knows when. As she excavated, she found that the drainage pipe went about 10 feet into the yard and just stopped. Also, it was all filled with gravel and dirt.

We decided to do something about it. My wife and son had cleaned out the drain yesterday.

Today, my wife and I dug a ditch and bought some new pipes so the drain would actually drain out and away from the house. We even put a clean-out section in the pipe to help with keeping it cleaned out and working. We now just need another good rain to give it a try.

I remembered to take a few pictures today as we worked.

Did I mention how many rocks and shell we have in the ground? Yea, it's a lot!!!

Gardens

After the storms Wednesday night, my wife decided to see if she could dig a trench where the gravel driveway meets the paved section. While doing that, she found that there was a drain in place.

She started looking for a pipe where this would drain out at. She finally found it. A pipe left the drain and went into the yard 6 to 8 feet and just stopped. It couldn't drain out anywhere cause it was covered by dirt!!! We'll have to drain it out somewhere, just have to figure out where.

So, after looking at that, I decided I'd walk around the yard and look at the garden. It's the first garden we've had here, and it just doesn't look good. However, our tomatoes are finally starting to produce. Also, we finally have some blooms on our cucumber plants too. Now, I just need my peppers to start producing!

Very cool

Well, today, I had some much better photo ops.

I got home from work and was sitting on the couch when I saw a golden finch fly up into our weeping cherry tree we planted earlier this year. So I grabbed the camera and carefully opened the door. I only managed on shot, but I think it's good!



Later, my wife and I went for a while. I had my camera in tow! And I wasn't having much luck on finding anything interesting to take a picture of. Then I saw this tree. It looked fuzzy. It was something I've never seen before. I took a picture, but it doesn't do it justice.



A bit later, I was walking by this field that had a huge array of wild flowers/weeds in bloom... which ever. Either way, I gave it a shot.



Then the storms blew in! What a crazy night for storms. Tons of lightning, rain and tornadoes! I'm not sure how many touched down, but they were all over the place. It's raining so hard, I hear many streets are flooding. One of the nice things I like about storms is the lightning. I love it. Especially now I have a camera that is capable of taking photos of it. Here are a couple I thought turned out pretty good.





Oh, speaking of flooding, the rain is doing a number on our new flower bed. The mulch just keeps floating by.





This was a much better day.