On a Beautiful Day 35 years ago TODAY

We wedded

Happy Anniversary to you my AWESOME Husband

I love you more than LIFE

Our Fabulous Granddaughter Vivienne in your arms

Howdy to you all

Moonlight at the The Temple of Luxor

The night sightseeing was amazing needless to say.

The moon has a special meaning to me while I am far

from my Sweetie…he will understand. ;)

Today just pictures and Links to the History of this temple. Temple of Luxor

The Egyptians oppressed under the Persian rule, welcomed Alexander the Great with open arms when he entered the country in 332 B.C. While there he visited the Oracle of Amon, at Siwa, where he was declared "the son of Amon." Exactly how this happened is unclear. One story is that either upon entering or exiting the temple he was greeted by the priest as "my son." Alexander's army and followers were not in a strategic position to see the priest and thought the words came from the god himself. However it happened, from that point on Alexander was instated as a son of god, like the pharaohs of old. Alexander initiated the building of Alexandria, but never lived to see the city. He left Egypt in 331 B.C. and left Cleomenes of Naukratis in charge of the territory. This position was later claimed by Ptolemy. When Alexander died, Ptolemy's generals divided the kingdom.

Temple of Luxor - The great pylon of Ramses II

Temple of Luxor - The great court of Ramses II

Temple of Luxor - The mosque of Sufi Shaykh Yusuf Abu al-Hajjaj

Pylon and colonnade of Amonhotep III.

Temple of Luxor - Court of Amonhotep III

Temple of Luxor - Hypostyle hall

Temple of Luxor - Alexander the Great's Chapel

Temple of Luxor - Holy of Holies - Sanctuary

Tracking 101

Sweetie and I went out for a weekend experience with the Master Naturalist program.

We were involved with how to discern animal tracking.

The snow for certain help.

So here ar home, where we KNOW what critters abound, we learn to look and with that learn more.

This one was a GIVEN...

The critter that made the tracks is picture # 2 on this post.

TUNA the cat ;)

She walked with me, for sure wondering what in the world I was doing!

Deer

Nope it did not follow me ;)

Wisp of a wing impression from a bird taking off

Small bird tracks, might have been the same bird, but then this was around the bird feeder.

This is for you Sweetie

Leaving On A Jet Plane - Peter, Paul and Mary

BUT you know I will be back… "Leaving on a Jet Plane" is a song written by John Denver in 1967 during a layover at an airport in Washington and recorded by the Mitchell Trio that year. The original title of the song was "Oh Babe I Hate To Go" but Denver's then producer, Milt Okun, convinced him to change the title. Denver wrote the song after his flight was delayed. Other artists recorded the song in 1967, including Spanky & Our Gang and Peter, Paul and Mary on Album 1700. It did not become a hit until Peter, Paul and Mary released it as a single in 1969. It turned out to be their biggest (and final) hit, becoming their only #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. The song also spent three weeks atop the easy listening chart.

More with the new camera SOON ;)

One Last Game

Yes indeed the College Bowl Games will end on Thursday with

Oklahoma vs. Florida.

Big deal ya say?

Well maybe…ya see here we have done a “Bowl” Pick for several years.

The people that choose to play simply pick their teams and submit them to the Head Counter.

This year I passed this arduous mantle to my Sweetie.

Next step is simple $5 per person, winner takes all.

In case of a tie etc it is divided.

I have won this at least once in past years.

Winning is not the most essential item for me.

Seeing how others picked, seeing the win/loss teeter- totter is even more interesting.

Speculation… [At least on my part of - “what if this team wins and this person …]

blah blah.

We are in a semi dead heat this year.

John and I [At this point] are neck and neck with John sporting 19 wins and I with 20. Thursday if John wins, he and I tie.

Frankly a tie is how I wish it to end.

It is not about the “winning” rights, it is about respect of ALL the people that

played…

For sure it is not about the Big Bucks either…

FUN; time possibly to sit in front of the TV with others in your family to watch some terrific football.

As for me I am still trying to learn what Football is all about.

So if I tie John, then it proves to ME, I am beginning to understand SOME aspects of the game…

Well Maybe ;)

Moon and Venus ~~ New Years Eve sky

My Sweetie and I sat last evening and enjoyed this

lovely site.

The two brightest celestial bodies after the sun – the waxing crescent moon and the planet Venus – pair up together this New Year’s Eve. You’ll see them in your southwest sky at dusk and early evening. The attractive evening couple will set about 4 hours after sunset.

~~

Thursday night we hope to see; the moon – which is now a waxing crescent – shines to the upper left of Venus. To the lower right of the moon and Venus, you might be able to catch the planets Jupiter and Mercury near the horizon some 45 to 60 minutes after sunset.

~~

http://www.earthsky.org/skywatching/

SIGH

Tiz been a time since I blogged… but that’s ok.

It is the season of busy things

Good busy

Enjoyable busy

Today I shall add personal thoughts to the already addressed Christmas cards.

Hard to believe I actually started this project Thanksgiving weekend.

But then making seven different cookies to share plus the Chocolate Microwave

Cake to give out did take time. I am not complaining I have enjoyed it all.

All of the gifts are wrapped, tee hee I speak about the ones that are wrap able.

More snickering

The traditional OFFICE PARTY is over, man I had a great time.

The College Bowl games have begun and all bets have been placed.

I usually spear head this venture, but this year I yielded to my Sweetie to be the

HEAD Bean Counter.

Time to kick back and listen to Christmas music…

Mannheim Steamroller - ‘Joy To The World’ How Mannheim Steamroller got its name: Chip Davis decided to call his band "Mannheim Steamroller," an amusing, "colloquial joke name" for an 18th-century musical technique known as the "Mannheim crescendo." The orchestral crescendo was pioneered by Johann Stamitz and the Mannheim Orchestra. The Mannheim sound built intensity by adding layers of sound, color, texture, other instruments—and, especially, volume. To Davis, it was like a steamroller. Hence, the name. I want to tell the WORLD my Sister in law totally ROCKS!

She sure surprised me with this fabulous gift! YUP I got to see Mannheim in concert…WOW and days after WOW Life is GOOD! The shopping she and I did was FAB as well, tee hee

This weekend

Check out the classroom

Some time ago a Person donated these animals to WVU. The Long Horn was an aside as the story goes…still one awesome animal for sure.

Did you hear that? We are not forgotten…we continue to TEACH! Did you catch that odor? Ummmmmmmm wonder what it is, be back soon I am going to check it out.

UMM think it is dinner, let’s GO

Check my eyelashes, do they not look attractive?

DANG there is some dead bug on me ewwie!

Hold still I will Get it HONK HONK

My eyes are lovely don’t you agree?

ICK my tongue feels ODD…tastes like dirty socks yuk

Heyya It looks like my antlers are CLAPPING, Totally KEWL

MOOVING to be sure

Let’s see the dimensions for curtains should be about this wide

WINK WINK

I ROCK!

Wonderful information… I learned lots…and even felt good I knew lots! Always a good thing…

Learning is Wonderful.

So far all 4 session have been fabulous… people in their fields sharing their knowledge is SUPER! Topic this session was Wildlife Habitat Improvement William N. Grafton

He is the gentleman on the plaid shirt. Extension Specialist and Associate Professor

He was our Instructor. William N. Grafton, son of a West Virginia logger, was born in Fayette County, W.Va., November 20, 1938. He attended West Virginia University (WVU), earning a B.S. in forestry and wildlife management. After serving with the U.S. Army, he earned a M.S. in forest management at WVU.

Mr. Grafton then joined the WVU Extension Service as a forestry specialist in Beckley, W.Va.; later serving as director for an 11-county area in southern West Virginia. He worked closely with forest and wood industries, concentrating on forest fire prevention and helping produce “Time Is Running Out,” an award-winning film on fire prevention.

While in Beckley, he discovered the location in West Virginia of the endangered plant, “running buffalo clover.” He has become a recognized authority on the flora of West Virginia, especially in the New River Gorge area.

Throughout his Extension career, Mr. Grafton has given of his time to promote forest management education to all citizens in the state. He has been a major contributor to youth education in West Virginia, helping to organize the Youth Science Camp in Wyoming and Raleigh Counties. He has been an annual instructor at the Forest Industries Camp for high school students. Since his return to Morgantown as a wildlife specialist in the 1980s, he has worked extensively on deer herd management. He has worked with farmers, foresters and politicians, trying to find reasonable and sustainable recommendations on deer herd management in West Virginia.

Mr. Grafton has held leadership positions with the Society of American Foresters, and has been recognized by many organizations for his contributions to forest management in West Virginia. In 1993, he was enshrined as an honorary member of the West Virginia FFA. In 1994, he was honored with a faculty award by Gamma Sigma Delta, the Honors Society for Agriculture.

He has been an officer and leader in the Nature Conservancy, which promotes the protection of unique ecological sites. He has also been an officer and leader in the West Virginia Plant Society. For over 20 years, he has been a forest management instructor at the Conservation Education Camp for teachers in Webster County. He also provides information and organizational input for a similar camp held each summer at Blackwater Falls State Park.

"The bluebird carries the sky on his back." -Henry David Thoreau journal

We built bluebird houses

Sound Song a rich warbling whistle broken into short phrases: "Tu-wheet-tudu." Also a dry chatter. »listen to songs of this species

From the Love of my Life

December the ONTH!

The Popover recipe re configured…what a bust that was!

However the Apple Pies were YUMMY

With Thanksgiving just barely over we head to the BIG ONE.

Our Thanksgiving was fabulous.

What could be more enjoyable than having family together?

Hectic, sure is BUT man the fun HECTIC makes...

puts a spring in my step to be sure.

Food smells permeated the home, homemade ice cream,

Joe’s Green beans, Sweet Potato Goodness, special YUMMM there,

gravy and dressing; store bought frozen turkey.

Still love to watch the cranberries POP…such fun in the kitchen for sure.

The ICE CREAM MAKER of ALL TIMES!

Christmas Goose is in the freezer, NO not one of ours…

Old but a tried and true recipe

Perfect Ice Cream making causes a STIR at our HOME

The Store Bought Turkey

The tree has been picked out, now to ready the PROPER location in the home. Ah the smell of fresh pine…

HEAVE HO

Lovely LIVE Bird!

Slate preforming in front of the dogs

Gentle touches

Home Sweet Home

NOW

Time to get the inside decorated and begin to surreptitiously drag out from hiding places gifts to be wrapped.