Turkey N Taturs 2015 – Taking Care of the Grill

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Sunday Morning was the annual running of the Turkey N TATURS 10K-25K-50K trail race on Tulsa’s Turkey Mountain. I have run the 10K segment a couple times in previous years but not this year because I am still rehabbing my knee. I wanted to participate somehow so I volunteered to man the grill cooking burgers and hot dogs.

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The grill was right by the finish line literally about ten feet off the trail so I had a great view of the goings on. The race was put on by TATUR, “Tulsa Area Trail and Ultra Runners.”  They specialize in putting on fun races of all sorts. They also make it fun to volunteer for them. They not only put on races, they build community.

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Their were some people flying off the mountain in great times. I never get to see them except at the beginning of the race. Usually by the time I get to the end, the leaders have finished, downed a hamburger or two and a couple of beers, talked with their friends and get in the care and are gone.

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This guy finished the 50K. That is over 30 miles folks. Amazing stuff.

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I’ll never win one of these awards but I can sure take pics of them.

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Did somebody say Ginger Snaps. I can’t keep them around the house. Once the box is opened, the cookies are gone. Best not to have them around.

I love the low key supportive atmosphere of the event. Here is an 11 second video of a typical finish. No crowding and pushing. Just encouragement at the end.

I had a great time. If you run, or walk, really, try a local trail race sometime. You’ll like it.

Downtown Tulsa Sun, Shadows, and Color

Downtown Fall Color Impressions Van Gogh II 55pct

True confessions I used Topaz Impressions Van Gogh Filter on this backed off to 55%

I love the light this time of year and the Fall color. I found a tree still somewhat conflicted about Autumn. I love the conflict and I also love how the sun and shadows work together. Autumn is my favorite time of year.

Linking with Shadow Shot Sunday

Six Word Friday – Light and Idaho Falls’ Japanese Garden

Japanese Gardens Idaho Falls Topaz Glow Into the Light I 31pct

Dappled Light – Reflecting Water – Glowing Leaves

Linking with Six Word Fridays 

I found something new to me on last trip to Idaho Falls in early October. A Japanese Garden right downtown, on the Snake River hidden from the street. It was magical down there underneath the bridge.

Turkey Mountain Skywatch

Turkey Mountain Skies

Last weekend, son and I went on a little hike on Turkey Mountain just to get outside and get some fresh air and walk around a bit. We didn’t go to far, just a couple miles but the sky was blue, and the air was warm and dry. You have to take advantage of all the good days you can this time of year.

Linking with Skywatch Friday

Digital Art Meme – Art Deco Canyon

Tulsa's Art Deco Canyon

I took this pic on Saturday morning with my Nikon AW110 point and shoot camera. I like it because it is small, waterproof, and shock proof so I take it with me almost everywhere I go especially when I go running or hiking.

So then I took the photo, uploaded it to Flickr,  and moved it over to my Ipod Touch and used an app called “DistressedFX” to put a texture on it and it made everything “pop.” So I posted it on Instagram and Facebook and uploaded back to Flickr and so here we are.

More and more of my photo processing is done on my Ipod Touch. It is just a lot easier to do that than firing up the ole laptop and loaded Photoshop and trying to figure out what I need to do. Photography and editing is changing fast.  Who knows what we will be doing in a few years.

Linking with Digital Art Meme

Oklahoma State One Act Play Championship

_DSC0152Last Thursday Logan got on a bus with about four dozen other kids and a few adults and headed to the Oklahoma City suburb of Mustang. The kids were competing for the State Championship One Act Play Competition.

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The young men and women were amazing when the U-Haul with props showed up including the very important tree. They just jumped in there and unloaded everything like they knew what they were doing.

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Then it was time to check out the stage and do a fast run through to get a feel for the size of the stage. The lighting, sound, and spotlight crew got familiar with everything also.

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And then it was one of those moments. A Christian school working in a public school. The Director of the play offered up a prayer for the event.

UntitledThe next morning it was time to put on the costumes and makeup (see this page) at the hotel. Heather did it for Logan.

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And here we are, Logan playing Baloo the Bear in Just So, Mr. Kipling by Lisa Nanni-Messegee.

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Sorry my pics are not very good. I am in the process of getting permission from one of the Mom’s who took great photos of the performance and I’ll add them if and when that happens.

And then the performance started. All the young men and women did great. Their hard work had really paid off.

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They give you 45 minutes to complete the performance. We finished in 44 minutes and 56 seconds. So they didn’t waste anything.

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I am strange, I love watching the chaos that ensues when a group of people decide to get a group picture. I love how everybody kind of sorts themelves out.

There were eight other schools performing that day and Logan’s school took second place. I watched about half of the other performances by the other schools and I was quite impressed. I hear garbage every now and then about how today’s kids don’t know how to work and don’t care. I’ll tell you that last Friday there were lots of kids from nine schools who know how to work and care a lot.

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Okay, they finally go their act together. A fine group of people these are. There were about fifty involved. Not just the actors and actresses but the stage managers and assistants, stage hands, makeup buffaloes, sound guy, lights girl, spotlight girls, and all sorts of others. All working together.

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Hey we got to get a senior picture. Yeah!

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For the parents its the face of their happy child that makes them tear up.

Well done guys and gals!

Tulsa Run 5K – 2015

DSCN4578My Big run every year that I look forward to is the Tulsa Run 15K. I have run it every year since 1994 when it was the first race I ever entered. This year I did the 5K version because I am still in rehab on my knee from a fall that I had in early September. I felt bad about it for about five seconds then my motto kicked in. The motto is “If you can’t do what you want, then do what you can.” So I can walk a 5K, better than sitting on your butt is what I say. Sitting is the new smoking is my new motto.

DSCN4581The downside is that the 5K race starts over an hour before the 15K so I had a little bit less time to get ready. You see my office building is right by the start so historically I am able to get to the office. Make some coffee, check my email and update facebook, do some blogging, and then 10 minutes before the race head downstairs. 

Since my leg was sore I had no intention of run/walking. So I made a video of the walk up to the start line. Generally in the 15K it takes about five minutes to get to the start. Psychologically passing people from start to finish. So I started at the back in this race and stayed pretty much in the back. DSCN4582 The music community has historically supported the Tulsa Run and I love hearing them. We generally have bagpipers, rockers, rappers, and sometimes cheerleaders. I guess the Christian bands sleep in late because I hear lots of taped Praise and Worship music but not that many performers.DSCN4585These guys have been here the past several years playing Hispanic music. They are pretty darn good. DSCN4586So we go on down Boulder avenue south from downtown and hang a left and go East down Cherry street and then… Wow, look at all the people way ahead of me! And look at all the people coming back already and I have not even got halfway. Such are the joys of walking.DSCN4587

So I finally get down the hill, and then up the hill and turn around and head back down the hill again. Hey time for a Guiness maybe? No, they were closed.

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Make the turn at the Fertility Clinic on Boston and another rock group.  DSCN4593

Headed up the hill and hey, who are these cheaters coming on the side. I think they are the fun runners. Lots of kids hauling butt is what they were. Nice to seeing kids running is what I say.

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And then here comes the back of the packers in the 5k headed towards to art deco canyon of Boston Avenue.

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So I got a nice technical long sleeve shirt, a bottle of water, and little medal and a care package containing cheese spread, chips, animal crackers,  a tiny twix bar, and a hand wipe.  Uhhhh, thanks, where’s the beer, guys? Where are the snickers bar? Oh well, times change and so does this race.  Hey, I don’t care, I love this race. I’ll be back.

22nd Tulsa Run in the books. I’m looking forward to running the 15K next year.

Thanks to the race sponsors, the race director and his helper, and the army of volunteers that it takes to put something like this on.

Digital Art Meme – Sunlit Steel

Sunset Building - Topaz Glow Liquify I 55 pct

I was driving home Tuesday afternoon and I noticed the light coming off the beams of this bank building that is under construction. I had to (I just had to!) pull off on a parking light and take a pic with my phone. I amped up the reflections off the steel with a dose of Topaz Glow and backed off about half. I’m learning that with the filters sometimes less is more.

Have you ever just had to pull of the road and take a picture????

Linking with Digital Art Meme

Through My Lens – A Visit to Carmichael’s Pumpkin Patch

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Sunday afternoon the family traveled from Tulsa down to the country outside of Bixby to Carmichael’s Pumpkin Patch to pick out the family pumpkins for Fall.

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We saw some greedy goats.

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And some cute little goats. At what point do they turn into shameless beggars?

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We saw a lonely, humiliated chicken sharing its space with a rabbit and a tiny little pumpkin.

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And a pot bellied pig looking a little frazzled trying to take care of her youngins. (Youngin is a word in Oklahoma just in case you are wondering. Other words have disappeared. Nobody knows what a Democrat is here any more. Except for some old timers who don’t really want to talk about it too much.

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And we saw  brahma cow. aaaa _DSC0127

And a few llamas. 

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And some youngins making a little selfie nest in the pumpkins. Aren’t they cute. I wasn’t the only one taking pics of them making a selfie. Look at the lady across the way.

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Oh yeah, we did find a couple of pumpkins!!!

Linking for the first time with Through My Lens