This is my entry for Mrs.Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday a blog that has created a community of caring people. To read other "E" entries, click here.
I originally drew this pair of bears to illustrate my poem Ceremony, and it was printed as a background to that poem in the anthology Roots and Tendrils.
Then my son wanted a few more dancing bears for a poster he was making for the Waltz Night that he and his dear wife (dear to me too), Kristin, put on at monthly intervals. These were rather quickly done (while lying on my bed with the drawing pad balanced on my knees).
Xmas? I have avoided that spelling of Christmas most of my life, and I'm only making an eXception so that I can show the photos I made on that happy day 3 days ago and can still use that X . Yes, ABC Wednesday round 7 is at X, planning to eXit the alphabet in two more weeks. Check out the eXceptional cleverness of participating bloggers and their eXciting eXamples of eXercising their XXXXs by clicking on logo.
Early Christmas morning, while some of the guests in my daughter Candace's house still slept, I took these pictures of the living room with its lighted tree and the great pile of gifts that ringed it. This is natural dawn light (no flash) with snow softly falling outside.
While there are some lovely gifts in what appears to be an obscenely materialistic pile of presents, many of them proved to be joke items or even gifts for the two dogs.
And I had the choice seat by the tree, camera poised.
Granddaughter Myrtle appeared in silver shoes.
And one of Candy's first gifts proved to be reindeer slippers
So she put on reindeer antlers and hammed it up a bit.
Byron opens a gift while his mother, Candy, at left, looks on.Ernie, Byron's lively little mongrel, and Hobbit, the resident dog, attempt to help.
Myrtle looks on as her brother Cedric prepares to open a gift. Cedric's wife, Susan, also watches.
Susan admires her new frying pan. The rosettes on her cap were package decorations.
Son-in-law Clinton hams it up with a new shirt.
Compare this with the serene early morning picture...
All was followed by a delicious Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, formally set on the table that had held our traditional Christmas morning breakfast stolen.
The participants are: myself, visiting from Port Townsend Candace, my daughter, and Clinton, my son-in-law Candy and Clint's daughter Dr. Myrtle Shock (Ph.D in archeology) " " " son, Dr. Byron Shock, professor at College of Idaho " " " son. Cedric Shock, computer eXpert Cedric's wife, Susan. Ernie and Hobbit, enthusiastic doggie participants
Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday round 7 has reached N. Click on banner or link to see what fellow bloggers have been inspired to do. Nasturtiums have long been favorites of mine, at least until invaded by aphids. Way back when my children were young and begging for a snack, I would slather a piece of bread with butter for them to take to the backyard; there they would harvest nasturtium leaves (pesticide and aphid free) to make a sandwich - a tasty treat in which I often would join them.Then the aphids found the "nasty urchins" (as my father used to call them).
This beauty is in a neighbor's yard, not mine
Please click on this picture for a full view of it.
Now that I have moved to Washington State, I can again have nasturtiums in my garden.
Kristin planted these as a border to my walk. The blossoms are lovely, but so are the variegated leaves.
Some of my language-loving father's other favorite flowers included Christmas anthems. And Spitunias. I wish I could remember more of them!
Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday, now in its seventh round, has reached the letter M. Thank you, Denise, for your original vision and continued involvement. To see how other participating blogs have been by the letter M, click on banner or link.
A little over a week ago my son Stan and his wife Dianne, visiting from Colorado, took me to the Port Townsend waterfront to see the kinetic race. "Kinetic" means that the entries must be human-powered both on land and in the water. It is an all-day race, ending when the last remaining participant reaches the fairgrounds. There is also a judging of the floats for cleverness and decor. These first few pictures are of the participants racing toward the launching spot for the water leg of the race.
Completely unaware!
Some entrants use bicycle type pedals. Others, like the man above, jump or teeter-totter. All of them must have adequate floating devices for the water leg of the race.
The fantastically costumed Kinetic Kops enforce the racing rules. The course is rigidly set. They also act as announcers.
Some Kops ar Kind to Kiddies.
The floats (literally!) must race around a distant marker, out of sight of the launching site. Here one of the leaders in the water leg of the race races toward shore.
Here come they come!
To add to the merriment, there are a variety of prizes, I understand. One for 1st place, of course, but also for last place, middle place and others equally ridiculous.
I can take no credit for the photos. My son Stanford is the photographer.
ABC Wednesday Round 7 has pregressed to L. To see the many and varied entries of participating blogs, click on link or banner.
I snapped this picture last May when visiting my daughter Candace in Ontario, Oregon. She has a flat bird feederoutside her dining room window. These were shy little birds that flew at any perception of movement inside the room, so that I had to stay absolutely still with my camera set for the spot that they were apt to perch. They usually appear at Candace's house for about 5 days each spring before flying on to their summer destination.
Born in Berkeley, although I have lived much of my life in other places. I now live across the street from my son Otto and his wife Kristin in Port Townsend Washington - a delightful town to live in and wheelchair friendly,
