Rest of the beach pictures

They're a bit repetitive but we wouldn't want you to get to feeling too cozy around your fireplace, now would we? Bleakness therapy.

Thank you, Cheryl!

What a lovely surprise! This is a work of art and certainly too nice to step on in the garden. The yellow highlight doesn't show up in my picture but it is really rich. Thank you, thank you! Doesn't it look like a real hosta leaf?

(I took the picture outside for contrast against our last dribble of snow. This beautiful stone will live indoors until spring, of course.)

Thank you, Cherylangelo!

Snow gone, we head for the beach

Westhampton Beach on the South Shore. Yesterday was mild most places, misty and cold here. The Atlantic Ocean in December is a rough and fearsome thing.

Mesmerizing but not inviting


Froth washing up. What is that?

Looking into the sun, an odd effect

Seconds later this couple was swamped by a wave, which caused hilarity for them and all watching.

People and dogs kept arriving

Hmmm

Now where did Alphonse get to?

Merry Christmas to all!

St. Luke at work

St. Luke from the Lindisfarne Gospels

...it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

A Google Image search will show you many more images from this amazing work.

We had snow!

At 8 o'clock this morning

Starting on the walk


a little farther along

Time to measure. You probably can't read the numbers...23 inches! (Waal, 22 and a half)

Snow cones on the rhododendron

A little less snow under the shrubs

Threw out some birdseed there

Juncos noticed, were out and scrounging.

Pakistan: two pictures

Sent to me last month by a friend.Thanks, Aamir!

Lake Saiful Malook,
North West Frontier Province

Cough it up

One for the Season ... The Grimm's fairy tale of three brothers, a mendacious goat, and a Gold-Donkey who responded to the word "Bricklebrit".

Illustration by Tomi Ungerer.

Enjoy

Wow, sounds good!! (but I must be co-operative and serious)

I'm going to show you an email I received yesterday.

In the Subject line: GOOD NEWS ,RECOVERED BOXES,URGENT RESPOND FROM GENERAL MUSA MOHAMMED

(Lucky me!! How often do I hear from a General?)

Text of the email:

ATTENTION:BENEFICIARY,

HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY?.

I AM MUSA MOHAMMED, HEAD OF IMMIGRATION SERVICE kOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, IN WEST AFRICA, GHANA.

I AND MY MEN CAUGHT THREE MEN TRYING TO SMUGGLE YOUR CONSIGNMENT OUT OF ACCRA GHANA, TO A NEARBY COUNTRY TOGO, BEFORE WE INTERCEPTED THEM, THEY ARE PRESENTLY AT THE POLICE CUSTODY.

WE FUND YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER ON THE YELLOW TAG ON THE CONSIGNMENT BOX.

MY MEN AND INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THIS MATTER AND IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION I WILL LET YOU KNOW.

I WILL WANT YOU TO FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS.

2. YOU SHOULD BE CO-OPERATIVE AND SERIOUS TO SHOW YOU ARE THE REAL OWNER OF THE BOXES,BUT YOU HAVE TO SHOW PROOF OF OWNERSHIP TO AVOID IMPERSONATION.

3.I WILL WANT YOU TO SEND TO ME YOUR IDENTIFICATION, SO THAT I WILL KNOW YOU.

4.I WANT YOU TO SEND ANY PROOF LIKE CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN,POWER OF ATTORNEY,NON INSPECTION CERTIFICATE TO SHOW TO THE AIRPORT MANAGEMENT THAT YOU ARE THE LEGAL OWNER OF THE RECOVERED THREE CONSIGNMENT BOXES.

BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE CERTIFICATES, THE ONLY WAY FOR YOU TO GET THE CERTIFICATE IS TO OBTAIN THE CERTIFICATE FROM THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICES AND MINISTRY OF INTERIOR AFFAIR HERE IN ACCRA GHANA

AS SOON AS I GET THESE CERTIFICATE I WILL MAKE ARRANGEMENT WITH A LAWYER WHO WILL CLAIM THE BOXES ON YOUR BEHALF BECAUSE I AM NOT NTITLE TO FRONT ANY RECOVERED CONSIGNMENT CLAIM ALSO DELIVERY WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY THE BOXES IS CLAIM TO YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM OR DELAY IN THE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HERE IN GHANA.

LASTLY DO SEND ME YOUR COMPLETE DETAILS, FOR THE DELIVERY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.

WITH LOTS OF REGARDS,

MUSA MOHAMMED,

HEAD OF IMMIGRATION.

Garden cleanup 11/21/09

The Boy Scouts cleaned up the leaves at St. Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church on Saturday, November 21st. Wow, what good workers!

The photographer arrived just as they were finishing.

Say Cheese.

Some of the 150 bags of leaves!

After work, a little goofing off
You missed a leaf.

Many thanks to all!

Then the Garden Group got to work cutting back, mulching, and planting bulbs.

 Nancy and Vicky
Liz
Watch the traffic, Nancy!

Richie

 Priscilla

An hour in Avalon

Avalon Park is a joy, one of my favorite places. I spent a relaxing hour there yesterday, looking at birds and enjoying the balmy weather and blue skies. Good timing: before dark thick clouds had moved into our region.

Mallards are so familiar. One rarely sees their pretty orange legs.

As I was taking this shot a lady called from the lawn, "Stop, don't take a picture! It's not finished!" Well, I liked the way the wreath looked today, restrained, blending into nature. I'll come back and take another picture when the red bits have been added.

I liked the reflection of these posts in the mill pond.

They've redone the boardwalk recently and added a railing that provides security to wheelchairs and strollers. The wood is beautifully stained.

The Park offices are in this building. Red, green and blue all in one shot.

Avalon Park