Weekend Roundup

Busy, busy, busy that was us this weekend. Friday was my 9/80 day. I work 80 hours over nine days and get every other Friday off. It makes for long hours when I’m working but I love having the extra days off. Friday, Heather and I dropped my car off to get tires and then we went to breakfast and then on to the movies. We decided to see The Revenant.

Heather went to see it as a favor to me and I don’t think she liked it as much as I did. The Revenant is a powerful movie and very raw and incredibly brutal at times. I was worn out by the time it was done and I can see why it was nominated for a bunch of Oscars. I can’t really say much about it because almost anything would be a spoiler. I’ve some research I need to do and then maybe a dedicated blog post.

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Friday night Logan’s Improv group put on a new show. Logan loves Improv and I love watching him light up when he is onstage. It is great watching his fellow performers also, some of whom have been in the group for years and I love watching the kids grow up. Logan and several others are seniors this year so they will be aging out of the group. We’ll have to see how Logan can continue doing Improv.

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The nature of Improv is that you have to have a quick wit and you have to move on. Some skits work and others don’t and you don’t look back, you just go on.

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Saturday morning I went for a trail run on Turkey Mountain. It is a great place to get my head on straight.

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I saw this note card stuck in a tree. It’s a nice gesture and all that but the first rain this will turn into mush or the wind will blow onto the ground.  I’m such a cynic.

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Saturday night Logan got all spiffed up for his school’s Winter Ball. Heather and I were the chauffeurs for the night. We drove him to a country club where the Senior Dinner was and then later picked him up and took him to the dance venue and then picked him up. We were glad to do it. It was great seeing the young men and women being all dressed up, excited, and glowing for the event.

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Heather and I went first class. I took her to one of the finest convenience stores in the country and offered to get her anything she wanted. I was even prepared to get here the X Large Pizza. Nothing but the best for my wife. She opted for a bottle of water.

Weekend Reflections – Granite and Glass

ONEOK Plaza

This is the building where I work. The building is polished granite and glass and its modern exterior stands out in Tulsa’s mostly art deco style buildings. I took this shot from the parking garage across the street. I liked how the building reflected the sky to the east, and another high rise.

The building started out as Cities Service Oil Company’s new headquarters at 52 floors but before construction could get very far there was first an oil bust and then Boone PIckens who drove Cities into the arms of Occidental Petroleum who decided to make it 37 floors and then they decided to sell it to my employer who capped it at 17 floors. So it is “hell for stout” as we say in Oklahoma. A 17 story building with foundations and steel structure designed for 52. Plus we have lots of elevators!  We can still feel the earthquakes we are having in Oklahoma.

Linking with Weekend Reflections

Skywatch Flowers – Yellow Flower Edition

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I hate to say it but I have been uninspired by our skies lately. Either is overcast and gloomy or we have beautiful days without a cloud in the sky. So I dug up a photo from April a couple years ago of a yellow flower in the sky. All I can say now is “Come on April!!”

How about you, are you looking forward to April? I know I am but first we have to have the Super Bowl.

I’m linking with Skywatch Friday today.

Together Forever

Trees and Cables - Topaz Textures - Oily Hands

Umpteen years ago, who knows how many, somebody tied these two trees together at two levels with a very stout and thick cable. Now the trees have grown and the cable is part of the tree. Who knows why? Turkey Mountain is now a popular park in Tulsa but formally it had lots of oil wells, and hardscrabble rocky farms, and by legend alcohol stills. Many relics of its past are still on the mountain, foundations for oil well pump jacks, farmhouse cisterns and foundations, old flow lines and such.

I just love finding clues to its past and wondering what in the world happened.

Linking with NF Trees n Bushes

Our World – Tulsa Themed Art Piano

Tulsa Themed Piano

Seen through the window of the SIP Gallery in downtown Tulsa is this Tulsa themed piano. It has several Tulsa landmarks painted on it such as Cain’s Ballroom, the Tulsa Driller, the Praying Hands at Oral Roberts University, Tulsa’s CityPlex Towers, the Philbrook Museum, US Route 66, University Club Apartments, Bartlesville’s Frank Lloyd Wright designed Price Tower,  the Tulsa Skyline, and the Arkansas River. I think this is superb. I don’t have room for it but it would certainly be the gift for somebody has everything.

Linking with Our World Tuesday

Back to Turkey Mountain

Turkey Mountain Trail - Topaz Textures - Color Blast

Saturday I ran on Turkey Mountain for the first time since I messed my knee up there back on Labor Day. You can bet I was watching where I was putting my feet this time! It was a cold, breezy day in Tulsa and so running up on the mountain is better than plodding it out on the trail fighting the wind.

Anyways, I didn’t set any speed records. But I had a great time, and then drove back to pick up the kid.

How was your Saturday?

LInking with Pippa!

Weekend Reflections – Snowy Day

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I love a good puddle reflection

Well it was kind of a snowy day last Saturday. I dropped the kid off at his Improv Comedy class and then went over to the river to plod a few miles. It had snowed a little earlier that morning but had quit. Just the kind of snow I like.

River Trails Reflections - Topaz Glow - Whisker Wires 85 pct

I used Topaz Glow – Whisker Wires effect on this photo – true confessions

So I did my thing, stopping and taking pictures every now and then.

Frozen Sculpture - Da Vinci Sketch I 70 pct

This sculpture is “Crossing the Prairie” by Glenna Goodacre. I happen to love this work. More true confessions I used Topaz on this photo also.

I don’t like cold weather that much but I don’t mind it when I’m running. I have the right kind of clothes for running in cold wet weather and my movement keeps me warm. I’m just hoping that we don’t get any ice. I hate ice. Except in my scotch, I like it a lot there.

Linking with Weekend Reflections

Skywatch Friday – Evening Run

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No filter, no software, no nothing, right out of the camera.

The weather was perfect for my Wednesday night run on the river: temperature in the mid 40’s and no wind. It felt almost warm. I got to the Arkansas River just as the sun was going down. My Nikon AW110 point and shoot has a night landscape mode so I tried it out and it wasn’t too bad. This was from the east side of the river. 

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When I went across to the west side of the river, the sun was long gone but I took a shot east across the river to downtown Tulsa. I cropped the photo and it has a little fuzzy wuzzy about it but not too bad. Mainly I like the reflection of the buildings in the river.

I am still in recovery from my injury in September and I have my good days and my not so good days. Wednesday night was one of the not so good runs. Both legs were aching and I decided to cut things short at three miles instead of my planned five  but at about the 1.5 mile point things started coming together and feeling better and I finished my shortened run strong.

I am linking with Skywatch Friday

 

Lunch Breaking in Downtown Tulsa – Sights, Mysteries, and Discoveries

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I assure you that our buildings in Tulsa do not lean to the left.

I’m one of those guys who has to get outside for at least a little bit every day regardless of the weather. So many of my coworkers over the years just stay inside, and surf the net or work or whatever. I couldn’t stand that. I have to get out. Over the course of a month or so I tramp all over downtown. I always take my camera. 

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The old Sun Pipeline Building.

I’m not satisfied with just one photo of something and then I’m done. Nope, there always different sides to things. The weather is different. The surroundings are different. I’m always amazed how much things change.

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I like to visit old sights. These windows for instance. If I wont the lottery, which I won’t because I won’t spend the money on a ticket, but if I did. I would have bought this former AT&T building and put in a room with big comfy couches right under these windows. I don’t have to worry about it now. A church bought the building. I hope that these windows are put to good use. I’ll keep you posted;.

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Here is a recurring mystery. This little lookout has been here for years. What is it for? Guarding and empty parking lot? Perhaps. I’d like to have a little look out, especially with air conditiooning. Wouldn’t you?

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And old vintage gas station now an Avis dealer. I love old buildings put to good use.

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I find remnants of Tulsa being the “Oil Capital of the World” such as this divider of some sort made out of oil well casing pipe.

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And I found where somebody has started up a lending library of sorts in the East Village area.

What about you? Do you like to explore, tell me about it.

Saturday’s Critters – Horses

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We visited some friends last week and I took some pics of their horses. This one was at the fence and then backed off when I approached. He is not used to me.

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I stayed and talked to him and didn’t anything wild and he eventually came back.  Horses are such curious creatures. I love them and I’ll freely admit that I know next to nothing about them.

How about you? Do you like horses?

Linking with Saturday’s Critters