Category Archives: Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – New Views!!

Here is my big news this week.

I had a great cubicle that faced the west for years at work and I loved it. Then years ago, I got an “upgrade” a nice office in the interior of the building but no window, just gas company beige. Don’t get me wrong. I was glad to have it but I missed by window. Since then I have moved around but always with a beige view and last week I finally got an outside view again. To the south, not the west but I will take it. I can see a slice of the Arkansas River and Turkey Mountain. So I am happy. I’d have been happy without the view, but you know what I mean.

Having an outside view certainly makes a difference to me. How about you?

I am linking to Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – Visiting an Old Indian Trader’s Grave

The other day I had a meeting in a field office of my employer’s in Western Oklahoma. I had a little time afterward so I went on a little drive.

I drove past a herd of cattle.

Then a newly drilled well being prepared for fracking. Notice the green pipe in the foreground being built to take gas from the well for processing and delivery to market.

And then I turned down a muddy farm road to get to this marker.

And walked a short ways down a grassy path to this humble grave.

This is where Jesse Chisholm is buried. He blazed the Chisholm Trail from South Texas to Abilene, Kansas where tens of thousands head of cattle herded north to supply beef for the northeast. He didn’t drive cattle, he was a trader with several stores and developed the trails to restock his stores. He also had good relations with many of the Native American tribes and negotiated to recovery of several women and children who had been kidnapped by the tribes. He also helped facilitate several peace treaties. He died of food poisoning near where he is buried.

I think it is amazing that somebody who had such a huge part of the history and legends of the West has such a humble grave.

I’m linking with Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – From All Over Town

The sky was clear and the moon was bright so I took a photo of it. Don’t forget this Friday we have a full blood moon coming up. This was about 86% gibbous phase. I don’t always get them but I love it when I can see the craters on the “bottom” of the moon.

And here we are in the ‘hood. I loved the clouds one day when I was on the front porch. I guess sometimes I am a lazy skywatcher. While we are in a sharing mood, I took the photo of the moon from my front yard as well. Do you have any true confessions you want to share?

And this is my favorite building in Tulsa. The Boston Avenue United Methodist Church. An art deco masterpiece built in the late 1920’s and designed by Bruce Goff and Adah Robinson. The interior is beautiful also. It was our family church when we first moved to Tulsa.

And this is from Oxley Nature Center. I love how the island appears to be suspended in air. (Okay maybe I’m stretching it a little bit.)

Okay, that’s it for this week. Don’t forget the full moon on Friday. Take some photos for me. I’m going to be at a baseball game so I am depending on you.

I’m linking with Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – July Time

A scene from a bike ride. I don’t really remember where. I go all sorts of places these days and I have my cheap trusy gopro clone clicking photos every 20 seconds. I only keep literally about 5 to 10% of them. A two ride is 360 photos. Typically 5 to 10 are keepers. The lens is terrible but I love the sky.

Another photo from my gopro clone. This one is along the creek turnpike trail. Nice views, and hills, followed by hills, and then more hills.

This photo is from the archives. I took it last year and I don’t know where. Nice sky though.And a dominating planter. It looks like a parking lot and I don’t know where.

Sorry, I am kind of boring. I have the back from vacation, back to work, its hot and humid blues. I ride my bike a lot though.

How about you? How is your summer going? How is your winter going to the many great bloggers who live in New Zealand and Australia?

I’m linking with Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – Fitter and Fatter in 2018 Edition

This is part of the Liberty trail, paralleling the Creek Turnpike for miles and miles.

It has been hot and humid here lately. Since I quit running I’ve been trying to replace the calories I spent in running with other things like bicycling. I love biking but it burns a fraction of the calories that running does for a given amount of time. I’ve been also taking stand up paddleboard classes and weight lifting classes. So far it is not working too well. Oh I am getting stronger alright and more fit but fatter as well by a slow an inexorable amount. I am thinking that I might have to start the most effective exercise of all.

Bicycle Topaz Studio 43171936422_6651203752_o-Edit

We are getting rain and lots of sun, so everything is still lush.

Pushaways, you know where you push away from the table and eat less. Eating less is the most effective weight loss tool there is. Running only burns about 150 calories per mile or the calories in one slice of cheese or one beer. I’m trying to prove the first doctor I went to see wrong. She said, you know, for you, weight loss is an option. I’ve seen a million of you guys. You get injured, you quit running, and then get really fat, and can’t do anything. Believe or not, I loved it. I didn’t love it so much that I went back for more abuse (that I paid her for). I got another doctor. He told me my “tread was think.” So I just quit running. I walk, bike, elliptical machines, weight lifting classes, and walk a lot.

I rode by this freshly mowed pasture, where often I see horses and I got a bad allergy attack. Everything was hurting especially my eyes. So I turned around and went back home. Everything turned out okay. Strange.

Biking has turned into my first love though. I love exploring and going different places and taking pictures.

How about you? What is going on with you?

I’m linking with Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – 4th of July 2018

I started my fourth of July with a walk around Tulsa’s Lafortune Park. It is a little over 3 miles in length and is just the right size for a walk or run. The trail goes around two golf courses including a par three circuit that is under renovation that was made possible by contacting the person who are well known for providing reliable insulation services. Despite it being a holiday, the construction crews were busy working under the already hot sun despite being early in the day.

Later on, I passed Saint Francis Hospital. Their landscaping crews were also out working. So what is up? I am the only guy not working on the fourth?

I finished my walk and Heather and I dropped Logan off at his job at the Neighborhood Walmart and then went to Nana’s house. She and friends had been out shopping so all the women had matching July 4th tshirts. I didn’t have a tshirt, but I had a camera so I was assigned the task of documenting the occasion.

And then we moved to the pool. That felt good on such a hot day.

And my lovely wife, and me in the reflection of here glasses.

And a shot from underwater to me above the water.

And then more people showed up and I was assigned grill duty. I love grilling with a full grill. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, and ears of corn, plus a lot of other food.

And then fireworks. I had VIP tickets to the big Tulsa fireworks show but we were all chilled out in at the house and didn’t feel the need to jump in the car and drive like mad.

Some of the neighbors put on their own show. Not the big show close to downtown but nice enough.

Boom!

I’m linking with Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – Alabama Edition

We are back from our vacation to the gulf coast of Alabama (aka the “Redneck Riviera”). We had a great time as a family and will have lots of memories.

Son always has a good time. He also carries a book with him wherever he goes. That’s a good habit to have.

We cooked a couple shrimp dinners while we were there using fresh caught shrimp. We dined out on our balcony.

For the first time we explored Gulf State Park on bike. It is a sprawling park with beaches, lakes ponds, miles of trails, and multiple access points from the surrounding community.

We had a lot of fun and got to do some active relaxing.

I’m linking with Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – Vacation 2018 Update

We are towards the end of our vacation this year on the Alabama gulf coast. The highlight so far was Heather riding a paddleboard in the open water. She teaches a pool based paddleboard class but had never ridden a paddleboard before this trip. Logan and I went kayaking during this outing.

I have been taking lots of photos. The water and surrounding area are always a rich source of images for me.

Here is a shot of Heather just starting out on the paddleboard. I am in my kayak so I guess this is a “kayakcam.”

We have been out on the beach a lot. Both sitting on it, in the water, and walking the beach.

I have fair skin so stay covered up but my feet really got burned on this trip.

We went on our first ever family bike ride. Logan has never learned to ride a bike so we rented him a three wheeled version. He did quite well. Heather and I tried it and agreed that it was a lot harder to ride than the two wheeled variety. Steering in particular was hard. The bike had a mind of its own.

We passed this sign. Lots of alligator habitat in Gulf State Park where we were. It inhibited by geocaching quite a bit.

We cooked a shrimp dinner one night. We have our shrimp place, so we boil them, and Heather prepares the sides.

And the skies. The skies have been magnificent.

I am linking with Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – Bellingrath Gardens

We are on our family vacation so my SWF post is a little late this week. We toured the beautiful Bellingrath Gardens yesterday just south of Mobile, Alabama.

I am linking with Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – A Moon and some Oklahoma Country Skies

Kind of a mishmash this week for Skywatch Friday. This is the last full moon that we have. I love all the names Full Corn Growing Moon for example, I like Milk Moon the best.

Last Sunday I was in my first bicycle ~~race~~ ride. It was a grueling 24 miles over roads in hot weather and I loved every minute of it. I learned that hills are what makes rides interesting for me. They are never as bad when you are climbing them as it looks when you get close. I think that I am addicted. Help me to figure out how to sell the idea of a new bicycle to Heather.

I went on a flat as a pancake run on an old railroad bed that cut through ranchlands and oil fields and we had a great sky.

And a visit back to the magical Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch.

Hey everybody, what are you doing about the European General Data Protection Regulation? I am considering getting out of blogging because of it. You can see I have no ads. I don’t sell email addresses or any other information you guys/gals share with me. I just want to publish photos and look at your photos and exchange emails about my thoughts. I am a big believer in privacy but not a believer in regulations. Anyway let me know your thoughts.