Compassion

My Dad recently went in for surgery and had a portion of his lung removed. We made the decision to take our 8 year old grandson in to see his great grandfather, "Papa". They have a close bond, and it was good for both. I was moved to tears when they held hands and my grandson asked his great grandfather, in his most serious little boy voice, "Papa, how are you feeling today? Compassion is trans generational.

New Invention?

Once again I am reminded of the joy of being a child, the feeling of anticipation and wonder that pours out of children when they excited about something in particular.

Last Saturday we went to the pumpkin patch and brought home 3 really nice pumpkins. We placed them on the porch for future carving. Late Monday, Mason says "lets carve the pumpkins!" As it was late in the evening, I told him it would have to wait until tomorrow. Besides, they are freezing cold, they will need to warm up for carving. He said OK and we brought them in to warm.

The next day when I get home from work, all three pumpkins still in their designated warming spot, had sweater placed neatly over them. I am greeted with "OK Grampy, they should be nice and warm by now."

Watch for pumpkin warmers in stores next year.

I love kids.

Amazing things

I really enjoy photography, and the interesting things that are captured in the image. Sometimes a point and shoot opportunity gets the most intriguing aspect of the moment.

This was taken on a fishing trip at Loch Ness. I didn't catch anything, but I did have a great trip.



This was taken near the Trojan Nuclear Plant. We caught a bunch of crawdads, which are very yummy. Most were pretty small, but a few were quite large.




I bought an unusually large egg at Saturday Market. I had no idea that it would even hatch! I had to flush it and get a dog.



I tried to tell this pilot that we didn't need rescuing. Besides, my nephew sells helicopters. Maybe you have heard of his company. Travorski Helicopters.

Do you have any amazing photos? I would like to see them. I can be reached at super926@comcast.net. Please not photoshopped pictures.

If you haven't been on any adventures, send me a picture of you and I will send you on one.

Disclaimer:
The images you have just wittnessed are not real. Do not be alarmed at the strange and mind bending photos. If you become dizzy or lightheaded, simply look away until the feeling passes.

I love summer!

I love summer. It is my favorite time of the year. I love it when it gets hot, hot, hot! I like being able to walk outside at night, when the air is still, and it's 75 degrees. I like that it stays light until 10pm. I like BBQ'ing. I like the sound of people mowing their lawns on a lazy afternoon. I could go on and on. I do enjoy the other times of year, they have their good points to be sure, and I look forward to them in their time. But not like summer. I could live with just summer.

Sooooo,when winter is just wet and dark and dreary, I look for some way to remember that summer is just around the corner. Like the time I put the Hibachi into the fireplace and BBQ'ed a couple steaks. Yes, I stood around the fireplace mantel and drank a couple of brewskis while I BBQ'ed. I had video of it, but can't find it.

There is also the time I combined my love of summer with being the king of fun and best grampa ever (I am up for challenges). Watch the video below it was taken a couple of years ago, but illustrates my point. I am sure it cost a fortune in hot water, but it was worth it.


It's a little hard to tell from the video, but the pool is set up in the laundry room in the basement of our house.
It takes a long time to fill a pool in the basement using just the water heater. But it makes for a good afternoon project. I am going to call this a home school lesson. Controlling our environment. Is that too much of a stretch?
What is your favorite season?

Meet the Fam

I have the all american family. We are just as normal as everyone else. I even have the pictures to prove it. All names have been left out to protect the innocent. Feel free to click on any photo to enlarge. If you dare!

Keep Portland wierd.
Pink is my signature color!
What you lookin' at?
Dos cervaza por fa vor!
12 stops at Starbucks!
Don't make me use em'
Raccoon Fighter!
Airline chair tester?
Mom said my face will freeze like this!
You can't see me...
You wanted what?
Bobbing for frosting?
Life is good. Soooo good.
Say ahhhh.
Deep undercover top secret agent.
Mom? I lost a nickel!

This man accused ME, of riding the short bus!
I got a plate stuck in my eye!
Some people didn't have memorable photos. They were not left out, just not available. You can pick you friends...

Ya gotta wonder

I love the way children's brains think, process, and reason. But sometimes ya gotta wonder, whats going on in there. Here is an example of two prayers from the same child:

On the way home from school today, I read out loud from the reader board on the freeway, "Crash on highway 26 just past the tunnel." Mason says, I better pray. He clasps his hands together, bows his head, and says,

"Dear God, I hope that everybody is OK, and that it's not a bad crash, and nobody has to go to the doctor." He opens his eyes and looks at me and says "it's OK God is on it. He' doing his job."

This is the other:

We, like so many others have begun homeschooling. So today Teacher Grammy, and student Mason were reading from the school book and the poem was reflecting all the things God has made. At the end, he and Grammy prayed, thanking God for His creations. Grammy's prayer reinforced the beauty of nature, and the animals that were in the poem. She then paused, waiting for Mason to continue. With his eyes slammed shut, head bowed, white knuckled clasped hands, he simply adds,

"and thank you for the Mariana Trench." Amen.

Collectible?

I have been collecting snow globes since 1990. I have admired them since I was kid, and one summer vacation to the Oregon coast,I picked up one that represented our trip, bought it, and decided I would get one from all the places we visited. This is my first one.
This is from Seaside, Or. 1990
Some where along the line, someone said " I am going to (somewhere I've forgotten) for vacation. So I asked them to pick me up a snow globe. My only criteria was it had to be cheap and represent the location. I now have over 60 from around the world. I wrote on the back of each one with a sharpie the date received and who gave it to me. I later discovered that permanent marker doesn't mean forever. So I have lost some documentation of the origins to some. Here are just a few.
This one is from son in law. Holland, 2001
This is from Kirsten. Paris 1993. It has a changeable calendar on the front that is in French.
This is from someone named Sue. Singapore 2000.

This last one is my new favorite. It is filled with water and bits of rock and plants, assembled inside a water bottle. On the front it says Happy Birthday Love Jill. The location it represents? My grandaughters heart. I love it there...