Monthly Archives: August 2015

Digital Art Meme – Clinton, Oklahomas First United Methodist Church Spaceship

Clinton FUMC - Topaz Glow Blazing Neon II

Back during the July 4th holiday we visited family in western Oklahoma. I went for a stroll down main street while there and came across Clinton’s First United Methodist Church. I loved the big old mid century modern building with the humongous canopy. It looked like a space ship to me. I’m just glad that a tornado hasn’t come along and sent that canopy flying like a frisbee into Arkansas.

I decided to use my Topaz Glow program to give it the proper “swoopy” look that a space ship needs. That little splash of color in the leftmost first story window are some canas taht probably look better unswooped.

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I am linking with Natures Footsteps Digital Arts Meme

Ruby Tuesday – Steel Buffalo

Teton Arts Council Logo

Driving down a back road in Driggs, Idaho trying to get a better view of the “back side” of the Teton Mountains we came across this field of stylized buffalo.

They were on installed on the grounds of the Teton Arts Council. We didn’t stop and chat, but check out their web site. Do a lot of good things there, including lots of children’s programming.  So salud to you Teton Arts Council. I noticed that their logo is the same design as these sculptures. I hope I haven’t violated in any Trademarks. I know that my loyal readers will visit me in the Teton Jail if I did. Please bring quilts. It gets cold in Idaho.

Linking with Ruby Tuesday 

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Scavenger Hunt Sunday – to Spots and Beyond

1. Dots

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These are fawns at the Wildlife Resource Center in Antlers, Oklahoma. Heather’s father Charles, who is no longer with us, was the driving force behind establishing the center. He loved this deer.

2. Bokeh

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Does accidental Bokeh count, this is from a family hike where i was trying to get a family photo and the camera decided it wanted to focus on the bark of a tree instead. I tell you what, these new fangled cameras are smarter than I am. Not that that is saying much.

3. A Game

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This is from several years ago when my youngest niece Jillian graduated from college. Her parents held a party and they had games. It was fun!!! Check out this post from way back when to see what happened.

4. Repetitive

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I tell what is repetitive is running. I don’t mean that in a bad sort of way. Sometimes when I’m running I marvel that my legs just keep on running without any input from me.

5. My Everyday

It is a #coffee day for me today #reading #football #hibernating #happynewyear #doubleexposure #dianaapp

Coffee!!! Now that is an everyday thing with me!

I am linking with Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation with Tom Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson

I had my Fridacation yesterday, the last one before school starts next week. The family packed up and went to the movies to see “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.”

The movie stars Tom Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson. I would give you a synopsis but you know what you can find better descriptions of the movie somewhere else. I’ll just tell that it involves a seemingly impossible mission and lots of stunts involving airplanes, motorcycles,  BMW’s, swinging ropes, knife fights, and long jumps. Lots of cars get crashed and the body count ends up being pretty high. There is also going to be a lot of betrayals and double crosses and confusion in the plot. Check out its IMDB site for the cast, photos, and the like.

I’ll also tell you that Rebecca Ferguson steals the show from Tom Cruise. She is sexy and sultry she also gives us some totally gratuitous side boob and underwear photo ops. For no apparent reason she takes her clothes off a couple times during the movie. Not that I am complaining or anything you understand.

So it is an entertaining movie and a great way to spend the day when the temperature is shooting out the roof.

I give it three stars out of four.

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Saturday’s Critters – More Yellowstone Bear World

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As I wrote about yesterday we visited Yellowstone Bear World in eastern Idaho this past weekend. Bear World has lots of critters. I liked the bison above and appreciated him posing for me. That is a classic look. Bison have such big heads and they stand around a lot. I have always suspected that they think deep thoughts while doing so.

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The property also has elk including this white elk. Their web site explains that it is not an albino elk. I got confused about the whole thing.

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They also have about 45 bears. They were all up and moving. We have been there before and the bears were pretty sedentary, last weekend, the bears were on the prowl. It was nice seeing them so active.

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The web site explains that none of the bears were captured from the wild. They were all born in captivity.

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They had some cubs in a separate area to protect them from the adults. Is there anything cuter than a bear cub?

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And they have moose, Their is nothing ungainlier looking than a moose. Give them room though. They are notoriously bad tempered. They must be Dallas Cowboys fans. The Cowboys make all their fans cranky.

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And swans.

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And chickens

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And some ducks. Sorry about the picture of duck sex going on. I try to keep it family friendly but what the heck. 

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You know, fawns may be cuter than bear cubs. This one found a secluded spot away from everybody in the petting zoo.

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Heather and Logan found the goats.

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And Logan found a pig. He loves pot bellied pigs.

We had a great time.

I’m linking up today with Saturday’s Critters

Weekend Reflections – Yellowstone Bear World

The #Moose is loose! #YellowstoneBearWorld #Rexburg #Idaho

On our recent trip to Idaho we visited Yellowstone Bear World near the town of Rexburg, Idaho. It is not anywhere close to Yellowstone National Park but you follow the road it is on and you will get there eventually. The facility has lots of bears (all born in captivity) on site in a fairly natural setting and you can drive around (with your windows up) and view them. They also have other animals including this male moose and a female in a separate area with their own marsh.

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They also had this guy enjoying a dip. It was hot the day we were there and there were lots of bears in the water and under the shade trying to stay cool.

Linking with Weekend Reflections

Skywatch Friday – The Grand Tetons from the “Quiet Side”

Tetons Restyle

Everybody knows about the Teton Mountains of Wyoming, the spectacular peaks soaring out of the west side of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  I had an uncle who had a drug store right on the square in Jackson and when I was a kid we visited him a lot so we got to see the mountains a bunch. Things are far different now than then. The gazillionaires have taken over. They have bought the ranches and built their big houses. The traffic is horrendous and prices for food lodging is ridiculous. Depressed? There is an alternative.

The west side of the Tetons overlooks the Teton Valley of Idaho. There are only about 6000 people in the whole valley and farming and ranching dominate the economy. There is no traffic and everybody is pretty laid back. It is called the “Quiet Side of the Tetons.” There is lots of history here. Lewis and Clark journeyed through the valley on their expedition. The fur trappers of the early west held their annual Rendezvous in the Valley in 1829 and 1832

You better hurry though, the signs of the early Californication of the Teton Valley are there. Big houses are going up and you can tell the tourist trade is on the upswing it appears. Word is that the Billionaires in Jackson are squeezing out the mere millionaires to the small towns of Driggs, Victor, and Tetonia.

Rainey Creek Country Store

Outside the Teton Valley to the south is Swan Valley. On your way to Swan Valley check out Rainey Creek Country Store. A small convenience store at the crossroads of Highways 26 and 31. They sell ice cream there it is pretty darn good. Especially the Huckleberry and Cream. They also use square scoops. I don’t know why but I think that the square scoops make the ice cream taste better. Why? Who knows. Check it out!

Linking with Skywatch Friday

Anybody know of an Ice Cream Meme??? Should I start one?

And a postscript, Heather and I are fans of HGTV’s House Hunters section. Here you can find an episode where this typical self obsessed TV actor couple that has ruined Jackson, Wyoming look at houses in Driggs, Idaho. A charming couple but they don’t realize how much destruction they cause.

Southeastern Idaho’s Snake River

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We just got back from a long weekend trip to Idaho Falls, Idaho to visit my Dad. While there we headed off east to see some sights including the Snake River as it goes through Swan Valley.

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The Snake River is a major draw for trout fisherman. Above was a fisherman on a sandbar. You can see his dory anchored nearby. I hope that he had it secured because if that thing gets loose it would be long gone. The Snake is a swift river.

#SnakeRiver #SwanValley #Idaho #Latergram

We admired the view for a little bit and moved on.