Category Archives: Oklahoma

Bedlam

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Saturday night is the time for the annual Bedlam football game between the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University. I didn’t go to either school but I enjoy watching it. I just want it be a good game. If either team played defense the game might even be interesting. This was supposed to be a big year for OU but they stumbled. OSU was going strong and they had a small lapse. So this game is about bragging rights in Oklahoma and the championship of the Big 12 Conference. Over the years OU has dominated OSU, winning 76 games, losing only 17, with 7 ties. I enjoy teasing fans of both teams and generally keeping the pot stirred.

I just hope that it is a good game.

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Our World – Muskogee, Oklahoma

My Dad came for a short visit from Idaho for Thanksgiving. He likes historical type stuff and I wanted to show him something new so we headed down the turnpike to Muskogee.

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First we went to the Five Civilized Tribes Museum. It is not that big but it is powerful. It has displays on the five tribes that were forcibly resettled from the southeast USA to Oklahoma. No photos are allowed but they have a dynamite display on Native American Medal of Honor awardees from the Five Civilized Tribes. Upstairs they had an art show going on. Check it out when you are in town. Very inexpensive admission charge.

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The building it is housed in is the original Agency Headquarters from the 19th century. Very handsome in it own right. Gotta remember to stay off the grass if you go!

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Next we went down to the Port of Muskogee to check out the USS Batfish. The Batfish was a submarine that sunk fourteen enemy ships during World War II. Unfortunately the museum was closed but we could look at the vessel through the fence.

Batfish Submarine

There were some other things to look at also. Some anti-aircraft guns.

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And this. It looks like it could ruin somebody’s whole day downrange.

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And a little bit of humor.

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It was an overcast day with no color. So how about a photo of my Soul.

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Then we toured the port a little bit. I’m in the natural gas business. We are always looking for pipe. Our engineers can’t ever find any. We found some. Come and get it guys.

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We found this cool machine. Dad and I love looking at this kind of stuff. Sweetie and SPB can’t stand it.

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So, we had a pretty good road trip.

Our World Tuesday

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Boomer Sooner!

At the Autism Center of Tulsas Smarts and Arts trivia game fundraiser last Friday a University of Oklahoma football helmet signed by head coach Bob Stoops was one of the top items in the Silent Auction.

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Fellow blogger and chair of the event, Jonni, demonstrates how the helmet is used. As you can tell from her shirt Jonni is a Sooner. Don’t feel sorry for though as she has mostly overcome that.

(Photo ripped off by me from Jonni’s Facebook page)

Ruby Tuesday

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New Steeple

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A couple weeks ago a blog friend here in Oklahoma emailed me with a heads up that the First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa was putting up their new steeple in downtown Tulsa.

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I had to go check it out. For an economic downturn going on Tulsa sure has lots of projects going on. I try and sidewalk supervise all of them but there is only so much that one guy can do. So I need all the help I can get.

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My friend told me that her husband would most likely be the guy at the top bolting the steeple onto its base. I think this may be him. I hope that he was appreciating the daytime moon while he was working. Actually I bet that he pretty much concentrates on his job and lets us desk jockeys worry about composing the shot.

This is from the church’s web site showing what it is going to look like when they are done.

Skywatch

Lomographic 3G Cattle

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A couple weeks ago we visited my wife’s “old home place” the ranch. A cousin  of Sweetie’s is running cattle (as we say in Oklahoma) out on the ranch under the 3G brand.

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Of course, I take all my cameras with me including my ultra low tech cheapie toy Diana Mini Lomographic analog film camera that can shoot half frames, to take the cheapie concept one step futher.

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The thing about cows ( and you can write on the back of a postage stamp what I know about cows, and most of that would be wrong) is that they always show up if people show up.

That is it for the Lomographic Photographs, the rest are digital.

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They have a couple of rescue donkeys. Here is Kim, the faithful girlfriend, feeding Juliet, one of the sweetest donkeys, you’ll ever meet. Kim showed up at her boyfriend’s family reunion and fit right in. Kim was styling with the hat and the cowboy (cowgirl?) boots. She was a good sport.

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It was well over 100F that day, so SuperPizzaBoy hung out in the four wheeler with his uncle Glenn.

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Sweetie was in her element. She loves all critters, except snakes. I can tell you that if you are snake, you would be wise to steer clear of Sweetie. Cows, kittens, babies, and puppies, Sweetie is the best friend that you will ever have.

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This is Tyler, Kim’s boyfriend. He is a Marine artillery officer. When things get hot, you want to be where Tyler is, you don’t want to be down range.

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Wesley, Tyler’s younger brother. An extremely nice young man.

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There is Sweetie, taking charge, making sure that everybody has enough to eat. It’s the Mom’s of the world that keep things going if you ask me.

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Yeah, well, more of the same. Sweetie is number one among the 3G herd.

Who’s number one in your herd?

Camera Critters

What is Lomography?

Snowklahoma is OK

I am not sure where this started. I saw it first on Facebook from blog friend Terry of Coffee with Clark and when I googled it I saw it here. So I hope that I’m not stepping any toes but here goes.

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SNOW…klahoma

Where the cold front’s sweepin’ down the plain

And the piles of sleet, beneath your feet

Follow right behind the freezing rain.

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SNOW…klahoma

Ev’ry night my honey lamb and I

Travel home from work and hope some jerk

Doesn’t wreck our car in passing by!

We know we belong to the land

But it could use some more salt and more sand

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That’s why we say…WHOA!

We’re the sliding the other way…YIKES!

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We’re only sayin’

You’re slick as snot SNOWklahoma

SNOWklahoma

SNOW-K-L-A-H-O-M-A

SNOWklahoma, SNOW-K!

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Of course it is hard to get sympathy in my family. Except for brother Bob who now resides in Corpus Christi, Texas I am the southernmost member of my family, by a long shot.

Have you ever seen more worthless cats than ours? Let me know.

Sooner Schooner

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A replica of the wagon that the University of Oklahoma uses whenever Oklahoma’s beloved Sooners play football.

Check out the video below.

To be honest, the Sooners are beloved by only half the state. The other half cheers for the Oklahoma State University Cowboys.

I am not a native of Oklahoma and didn’t go to either school so I cheer for both teams. When they play each other all I want is a good game.

Who is your team? What traditions do they have.

Please check out That’s My World for more views of the planet we share.

Also please click over to Ruby Tuesday to see all shades of red from everywhere.

My World – Nature Conservancy Tallgrass Prairie Preserve

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Last week I took my father and brother out to the Nature Conservancy’s Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska, Oklahoma. We saw lots of bison and big sky.

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This has got to be the closest place to bison heaven on earth. Lots of grass, water, and room to roam.

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There were bison close and far, lots of them. I think the herd is about 2000 head or so.

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The place is for the bison. There is a ranch headquarters but it is mainly a bunkhouse, offices, and a visitor center with irregular hours. Notice my dad checking to see if anybody was home.

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Lots of grass to eat. The preserve staff uses controlled burns extensively to keep the grass healthy.

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The bison coexist with oil and gas production operations with apparently no ill effects on the animals.

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There are no gates or toll boxes on the Preserve. The allowed roads are all county roads and its all open range, no hours, no fees, no nothing. Just use your common sense is all they ask. Bison can be dangerous so keep your distance, stay on the roads, and don’t pester the critters. Oh, bring your camera.

Check out My World for other views of the world we share.

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