Photo Blogging Challenge (January 2022): Black And White

Welcome to the first Photo Blogging Challenge of 2022. And it's already February! This month's theme was Black and White. One of my favorites as I did so much of it back in my early film days. Let's get cracking!

 

This angel is part of a Nativity that I got from my mom who got it from her mom. I actually keep it up in my home office year round. 

 

I think black and white allows for a different view of mundane objects.

I had originally planned on all five being shot on some old expired Fuji instant that I have in the fridge but my camera was giving me issues. This was the only image that came out while I was testing it.

The weather was nice enough to get out some hikes this month.

 

With all the black and white cats we have running around this house (3 b&w, 1 solid black) how could I not include at least one of them. Penney was happy to oblige. 

There's my five. Looking forward to seeing the others and what fun February will bring. Thanks for visiting.

Photo Blogging Challenge (December 2021): Holly Jolly

Another year come and gone. And another weird one as well. I think we are all ready for some kind of normal. I am for sure. I was happy that family at least got to spend the holidays together and we are all still healthy. My photos this moth are pretty self explanatory so I think I'll leave them to speak.

 

 

 

 

I'm looking forward to another year of photos and another year of photo challenges. I always enjoy everyone's photos; it's a treat to see your slices of the world. I wish you all a Happy New Year and we'll see you on the January challenge.

 

Photo Blogging Challenge (November 2021): Give Thanks!

Let us give thanks, once again. One more month left of 2021. November was full of thanks!

 

I'm thankful for beautiful morning in the wilderness.

I'm thankful for this group of friends that enjoy learning together and like to be outdoors even if it's a little cold.

I'm thankful for friends and family that were able to join again to break bread together and visit.

I'm thankful for these four, that they are still alive and still friends.

I'm thankful for football victories and the celebration that comes with conference championships especially when those that "know" didn't give the team much of a chance.

I'm thankful for PJ hosting this challenge and for all of you sharing your world.

Photo Blogging Challenge (October 2021): Get Out and Play

October is always a good month to get out and play. The temps are finally dropping and the weather is generally pretty good. October also bring fairs, football, and Halloween fun. Let's go!

After a year off, the State Fair of Texas was back. All I really want to do is eat me a Fletcher's corny dog. Although they are now available outside of the fair, the ones from the fair stand just hit different.

I also had the first golf trip in 18 months. A business trip to North Carolina offered a chance to catch up with some folks I'd only seen online for awhile.

I went to my first Formula 1 race at the Circuit of the Americas. I heard it set a record for largest sporting event in the US with over 400,000 attendees over the weekend. Billy Joel performed Saturday night and the race was exciting. But the Spam toss caught my attention! There is nothing as exciting as exciting as flying pressed meat. I put some links there for my weekend photos.

Football is back. Halloween weekend saw my Bears beat our long time, down the road rival, Texas Longhorns. They are moving conferences so this may be the last time we play for a while. 

Halloween night, we had a Slightly Spooky Downtown Walk. My wife is on the board of the Animal Birth Control Clinic, a non-profit animal clinic that offers low cost spays and neuters as well as vaccinations and medications. There were lots of dogs and we visited some of the allegedly haunted spots of downtown Waco.

I can't believe we are at the tail end of 2020 already. I wonder what November brings.

Photo Blogging Challenge (September 2021): It’s Your World

September has come and gone. Another busy month in the books but plenty of time spent out and about in my world.

Cameron Park hikes are always a good way to get the heart rate up and get out of the house.

 

It's not my world, it's Rosie's world and she just lets me live in it!

We got out of Texas to Colorado to an actual concert at Red Rocks. Vaccine cards were required for entry. Brandi Carlile with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra was electric!

Waco was one of only two cities that had legalized prostitution. The gentleman on the porch led a group of us on a walk around what was known as The Reservation.   

Football is back. Saturday's are for watching my Bears, win or lose. Days like this, we are all winners anyway.

That's my 5 for September. Hope you enjoyed them and maybe spend some time with us next month.

Photo Blogging Challenge (August 2021): Adventures

My adventures in July made me completely miss last month's link up but I'm here in time for more adventures this month. 

Sometimes you don't have to go very far to find adventure. I didn't expect any of these right outside my back door. 

Oh, hey buddy. I'm not sure what's worse: that he was there in the first place or that I have no idea where he went.

 

This guy was as big as my foot!

And then I almost walked right through this headed to check on the pool equipment.

Enough of that, I got myself a new (to me) adventure wagon. A 1970 Kaiser Jeepster Commando. It needs a little bit of work but is very drivable as is.

Out walking the dog, the skies turned it into an adventure.

That's five. That'll do! It's such a weird time we're living in. It seems like I have nothing but time abut have no time to get things done. These challenges offer a good distraction. I hope you join in next time.

Photo Blogging Challenge (June 2021): DIY

This year has really started flying by! I can't believe June is already behind us. I wish I could say I specifically took photos with the theme in mind and didn't back into it after the fact but here we are. Let's see what I can come up with!

I definitely grew the basil myself using my new Aerogarden that I never knew I needed until I saw one in a previous challenge! I assembled the salad myself as well. 

We have a bit of a leaky pond so, after doing some research, I am trying a polymer that allows application through the water column and is supposed to find its way to the leak and seal it. It was a nasty process and we needed to be careful not to get it in our eyes or lungs since moisture makes it expand. We'll see how this works out. 

Not my project but a DIY nonetheless. My Great Aunt and Uncle lived in Brooklyn in the 50s and 60s and wanted a place to put a picnic table and enjoy the woods and bought this chunk of land in Cuddebackville, NY. Over time, using material recycled from buildings being torn down in the city, they built this wonderful cabin. As they had no children, they left it to my mom when they passed. She spends her summers up there as she did as a child. 

My oldest, on our last visit to the cabin a little more than 10 years ago, told my mom that he wanted to make a wine bottle candle holder. He did. She still uses it today.

A big DIY hobby is Amateur Radio. June brought the annual ARRL field day where we spend 24 hours testing the emergency capabilities of our equipment. Running off of solar power or generators, we attempt to make as many contacts worldwide as we can. This gentleman seated operates CW, or Morse Code, and this was his 66th consecutive field day! He made somewhere near 400 contacts this year.

How did I do? How did you do? July's theme is Happy! That should be easy as it's a big birthday month in my family. See you soon.

Photo Blogging Challenge (May 2021): Spring Has Sprung

 Spring has sprung indeed! 

It's a time of new growth.

 

A time of way more rain than we usually receive.

 

 

Old friends return.

 

And love is in the air!

I hope everyone had a great May, now on to June!

Photo Blogging Challenge (April 2021): Drink Up

I don't know if I mis-remembered the prompt or just didn't pay attention but I had to rework my plans and see what I could make work. Wish me luck and bare with me as we Drink Up!

Let's start by drinking up that green and gold as my Baylor Bears win the NCAA Basketball Championship in true champion fashion.

Drinking up those April showers. We'll be missing the rain come July.

After the showers, we'll drink up some outdoors and sunshine.

Drinking up some family time and silly traditions.

Oh, hey, did I mention my Baylor Bears are National Champs? We'll end it as we started. But it's a good thing we Drank Up the celebration because just a few days later our Hall of Fame Women's Basketball Coach of 21 years moved on to another school.

I definitely know that in May Spring Has Sprung and will work towards that end! :)

Photo Blogging Challenge (March 2021): Eight

I couldn't quite decide what to do this month. I had a couple of ideas but I'd done something similar to them before so I decided to wing it and just see what happens. These are five from eights.

March 8: A friend had this machine in his garage for the last 20 years or so. It played great for about an hour and then the CRT went out. I've since plunged into the world of video game repair and will soon be trying my luck on replacing a CRT.

March 17 (1+7): St. Patrick's Day dessert

March 18: Penney poses.

March 26 (2+6): Hibiscus in bloom.

March 28: Full moon

There are my 5 of 8. Did it work? I reckon it did. Thanks for looking and hope to see you next month!