No fooling, Classmates !
Once again, the calendar won--spring is upon the land. Some classmates took pity on my woeful winter whining and offered to cheer me up with flowery photos. All colorful photos are appreciated. It's too bad we can't email fragrance as well.
Loved your snow photos but now we need to start thinking spring. Here are a few photos of our garden that help me to get thru the winter months. Don't know how many more years Jim and I will be able to keep all this weeded and growing but it does give us plenty of exercise every summer. This is proof that all of Michigan doesn't look like downtown Detroit! Liz
The Pacific Northwest is far ahead of central Ohio and Sally Jo Scott sends visual proof.
Thank you for the very pleasant surprise – don’t know that I have ever had anything dedicated to me. Our temps today are around 60 degrees, cherry trees are in bloom and my view of the Cascade Mountains is clear and beautiful. I had a wonderful weekend. I took my 25-year-old granddaughter to see The Brothers Four in concert. When I invited her, she said, “Who?” She had no idea who they were. She was a good sport and actually said they were great and she could understand every word they sang. The group is entering their 50th year of performing, so fifty years ago I was a 16-year-old and primed to enjoy four cute boys who could make my spirits soar.
Our weather has been so great and the grass has been a-growin' so I find I must again pull out all the stops and show it who is boss. We live in such a wonderful part of the country and spring has sprung. Happy trails to all. As ever, Sally Jo
See her video here. Merry mowing to you! Ohio will catch up soon.
Sondra Flowers Hopper is also in Washington but her cultivation is of the student variety--the annual piano festival where over 330 students participated, followed by a piano competition.
It was a great musical weekend. I love teaching and watching these kids mature. Carly just entered a competition in Seattle where she composed her own piece. We will know tomorrow if she is in the top 20 students. Over 170 kids auditioned. The top 10 will perform at the Ten Grands Concert on May 21st at the symphony hall. Keep your fingers crossed!
See Sondra's photos here.
Dennis Jackson reports on two new adventures and he took lots of pictures.
Winter Range
Son Shawn, grandson Reichen, and I went to the 2010 Winter Range Cowboy Action Shooting Championships at Ben Avery shooting range. Over seven hundred shooters came from around the world. Fun time. All the shooters dress in period correct clothes. Equipment for each usually means two six shooters, two rifles, two shotguns, and lots of ammunition.
It was a lot of fun, and everyone there was friendly and really enjoyed themselves. SASS (Single Action Shooting Society) members were passing out sheriff's badges and lapel pins to the children. A nice lady gave Reichen the red bandana you see in the pictures. She said a cowboy really needed one. Ruger Firearms, headquartered in Prescott, AZ, was passing out lapel pins and patches. There was no fee to attend the event other than $5 for parking. What a deal.
When we got to the shooting range, Reichen did not have eye protection. Only took the Range Master a couple of minutes to notice that fact. He advised us that the shooters were firing at metal targets with non-jacketed ammunition. He said as long as you can see a target there was a danger that you could be hit with lead shrapnel and we would have to get Reichen eye protection before we could return to the firing ranges. Happily SASS is paranoid about gun safety.
See the Winter Range album here. You won't be sorry--the outfits should not be missed. Monument Valley
I took a weekend photo road trip to Monument Valley over the weekend. Shawn and Heather's families came, along with Kay's sister and her husband. We stayed at the new hotel, The View, overlooking the Navajo Tribal Park. The hotel is aptly named...the views from all rooms are absolutely awe-inspiring. The weather was fantastic in the afternoon, then went nasty in the evening--icy cold and howling winds, the snow blowing absolutely horizontal most of the night. It was decent by morning then vile from noon on.
See the Monument Valley album here. The scenery is spectacular.
Bill and I spent a few days in Florida in search of warmth. We didn't see much sun but we did visit briefly with Shirley Dorsey Ward who is enjoying her new computer and is becoming quite proficient at cartooning, computer graphics, and animations. Many thanks to her for this month's opening image.
File this away for future reference -- it is impossible to find a sweatshirt in southwest Florida!
APRIL BIRTHDAYS
Don Robinson
Sondra Parks Davis
Mary Ann Wareham Knabe
Dallas Evans
Tom Schmick
Judy Myers Rosebrough
Kate Burdette Stults
Sue Donovan Mooney
Liz Amick Murtfeldt
If I have overlooked anyone, please let me know.