Veterans Day 2013

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(Mural from the National World War One Museum in Kansas City)

Today is Veteran’s Day, the day that we remember our Veterans and thank them. Here in Tulsa we have a big parade which I’m missing this year because I have a meeting.

2010 Veterans Day collage 1

Lets thank not only the men and women in uniform but their wives, husbands, children, parents, brothers, sisters, and other loved ones who are affected also. Lets also think those Veterans young and old who used to be in uniform.

I’ve posted this Youtube video recently.  It is a British Remembrance Ceremony where poppies are dropped to commemorate those who lost their lives for their country. I find it very moving.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday – Tables Are Just a Start!

Table

Ford Mustang Billiard Table

Try as I might I couldn’t get Heather to agree to getting table. I even offerred to get it white wall tires but noooooo, no can do. So there.

I Collect

Teeny-tiny #geocache like a needle in a haystack #tulsa #oklahoma #geocaching

I’m a geocacher. I have found almost 1300 of them in 23 states. I have found them ranging in size from a fraction of inch like above to a footlocker below in the elevator penthouse of a highrise in downtown New Orleans. The owner of the office building is a geocacher. One of the security guys takes you up to the penthouse. I love it.

Large Geocache

Music

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Speaking of music. I don’t think there is any city anywhere that loves music like New Orleans does.

Yes!

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Logan went to a summer camp in Texas last summer. He had a great time. He won some sort of award. I’m ashamed to say that I don’t remember what it was for but he is rocking those cowboy boots. The young people flanking him are camp counselors. I think he was scared to death. He is still bashful around girls, especially pretty ones. That’s okay with his parents, for now.

Someone I Miss

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I miss my Mother. She was something else I tell you. She always had that twinkle in her eye.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Shadow Shot Sunday – Tulsa’s Linnaeus Teaching Gardens

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(True Confession Time – This photo is a couple of years old. I am so ashamed! But how can you do a post about the Linnaeus Teaching Gardens without a picture of Carl Linnaeus? The rest of the photos are just a couple week old, honest, really, yes really.)

A couple of weeks ago I found myself with a few minutes to spare between engagements so I went through the Linnaeus Teaching Gardens at Woodward Park here in Tulsa. It is a lot of garden shoehorned nicely into a relatively small space. It has also got lots of shadows.

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(The couple on the left were courting the 21st century way: Texting!. Holding hands is so 20th century.)

The entrance is very inviting and shady. You can just barely see Carl way down at the end of the walk.

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There are tables and chairs for relaxing.

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And benches.

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(Maybe here is where I tell you that the gardens are now closed until Mother’s Day. Sorry.)

And stone seating areas.

Shadow Shot Sunday 2

Water Tower Wednesday – The Granite Water Tower of Dell Rapids

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I found this beauty back in August during a trip to South Dakota for a family reunion. The old water tower was built in 1894 out of Sioux quartzite, a locally quarried stone. The forty five foot tower was operational until 1960 until replaced by a new tower. The old tower is now on the National Register of Historic Places. It looked pretty sturdy and well maintained to me for a 119 year old water tower. I wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t last another 119 years. The water tank was placed at the top of the tower. There is more information here.

As a bonus, the water tower has its own geocache, “Dell Rapids Historic Series: Wasser Werks.”
The people in the photograph above from left to right are my Sister Ellen, my Uncle Glenn, who was on his very first geocaching hunt, and the world’s greatest BIL Irv. And yes, we found the cache. Or rather Irv found it.

Thanks to Daryl of Out and About in New York City about getting me interested in Water Towers. She has a regular feature called Water Tower Wednesday that I borrow every now and then.

Our World – Arabian and Half Arabian Championship Horse Show 2013

A couple weeks ago the Arabian Horse Association held their Arabian and Half Arabian Championship here in Tulsa. As a bonus my sister Ellen and her daughter, niece Jillian came from Colorado to see the Championship and visit with us. 

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Of course you have to fly the flag before you do anything right and play the Star Spangled Banner.

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And in a nice gesture the Canadian flag was paraded and their national anthem played.

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Then the big guy in the red jacket sounded the bugle and we were off.

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I don’t know a thing about Arabian horses but I can tell you now that they are beautiful and have lots of attitude.

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They are well trained and so are the riders. It was fun to watch as the judges put them through the various paces.

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I stole this picture while the horse and trainer were posing for a real photographer.

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Another segment of the Championship was the horses posing. Don’t worry, I did not see any horses hit with the whip, or whatever it is. It seemed to be used to get the horse to pose correctly. The horses had lots of attitude. Kind of like teenagers when posing for family pics. You know what I mean.

National Arabian Horse Show

The horses had a classic looking trot. The riders were almost perfectly still. It was rather elegant to watch.

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There were all sorts of events and all sorts of championships. This lady was the Reserve Champion. Which I think is second place in her event. She wowed the crowd with her standing on the horse. Not as part of the competition of course but part of her celebration afterward.

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The winner got a big check. Makes winning that much better right.

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I like the behind the scenes in the staging area. All sorts of stuff going on.

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The stable areas were luxurious. This is part of the stable area. It looks like a nice living room to me. Lots of money at these shows.

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And they display their trophys.

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And the expo, everybody has an expo these days. I bet you that they have expos at spelling bees. These saddles are beautiful.

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Decorative clothing.

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And cowboy boots. Why have boots if you nobody can see them is what I say.

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Jillian brought a 4H team from Colorado who participated in the horse judging events. You can see that the students did very well. Jillian is at far right.

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One of the more spectacular events involved the riders and horses wearing costumes.

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I loved it. It was like Lawrence of Arabia. You know except for the violence and all that.

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Again, the riders were elegant and the horses were beautiful, and full attitude. I think I might become a fan of Arabian horses. 

If you want to see a post by somebody that knew what was going on check out my Sister’s post on the event. She knows about horses. So does Jillian. Me, I can tell a horse from a cow at least 80% of the time.

Our World Tuesday

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Scavenger Hunt Sunday – All the Way from Dressing Up to Orange

Dress Up

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These two are nephew (son of my niece Mary) Mr. Beans and the World’s Best Brother-in-Law, Irv. The occasion was the marriage of Irv’s daughter Jillian a couple of years ago.  These two are two very sharp dressed men. The young woman in the background it turns out was the wedding photographer, Caitlyn, a friend of my sister, Ellen. The photographer is also a chemical engineer who works on natural gas processing plants just like I used to do, and she lives in Oklahoma. Hopefully she will overcome this unfortunate career choice and avoid becoming a “Crusty Gas Gal.” She is a very talented photographer and a great blogger. If you live in Oklahoma and are in need of a professional photographer check out  caitlynmariephotography.com

Candy

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I love truffles and sometimes Heather gives me a box, but I have to share. I don’t mind sharing with her. I probably won’t share with you though. Sorry, that’s the way it is. When you get through crying I will tell you why.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin Turkey

I love pumpkins and decorated pumpkins even more and those decorated by others the most of all.

Spooky

#spooky Turkey Mountain #trails #tulsa #running

I am not a guy who believes in ghosts. However when I go running on Turkey Mountain and it gets a little dark and late it seems spooky to me. It is an urban wilderness area but was quite the oilfield way back when. There was moonshining going on and a deputy sheriff got killed. Lots of history back then. I feel it when I run. It doesn’t scare me. But I do wonder who seems to be chasing me. I run so slow, especially on trails and at night that if it is trying to catch me, it is not working too hard.

Orange

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How about an Orange Sky at Orange Beach, Alabama?

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Song-ography – My Life Would Suck Without You by Kelly Clarkson

Which to choose #beer
(Those of us that live in Oklahoma swoon at the sight of what is available elsewhere. Thanks Oklahoma legislators. )

Guess this means you’re sorry
You’re standing at my door
Guess this means you take back
All you said before
Like how much you wanted
Anyone but me
Said you’d never come back
But here you are again

#newbelgium #cafe #1554 #beer banned in #oklahoma

‘Cause we belong together now, yeah
Forever united here somehow, yeah
You got a piece of me
And honestly,
My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you…

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(Chimay is nice but be careful, its alcohol content is high)

Maybe I was stupid for telling you goodbye
Maybe I was wrong for trying to pick a fight
I know that I’ve got issues
But you’re pretty messed up too,
Either way I found out I’m nothing without you

Fat Tire 1
(In Oklahoma we are protected from both Fat Tire and Obamacare)

‘Cause we belong together now yeah
Forever united here somehow yeah
You got a piece of me
And honestly,
My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you...

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(You are killing me smalls)

Being with you
Is so dysfunctional
I really shouldn’t miss you
But I can’t let you go
oh yeah…

#beer at #local_table #tulsa

‘Cause we belong together now yeah
Forever united here somehow yeah
You got a piece of me:)
And honestly,
My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you

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‘Cause we belong together now yeah
Forever united here somehow yeah
You got a piece of me:)
And honestly,
My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you…

Deschutes Obsidian #stout and Fresh Squeezed #ipa #beerkitchen #beer #kansascity #roadfood #roadtrip

Songwriters
KELLY, CLAUDE / GOTTWALD, LUKASZ / SANDBERG, MARTIN
Published by
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Musi

Song-ography