The Big Meltdown

Mid sixties today, mid seventies tomorrow. What's not to like?

Still Freezing, After All These Years

Due for a warmup this week. about time! At least it is sunny...

More Snow and More Cold

We have now sunk into the coldest period in a few years, with a bit more snow yesterday afternoon. Fortunately it cleared up overnight, and, while still in the 20's, the sun is out!

Even though her ball is frozen, The Lils had a strong desire to chase it, roll over it, and generally attempt to assemble it somehow onto/into her body.

Rock Ball!

Since she was a pup, Lillie Mae has loved to climb up on things. When she first saw "The Rock" she ran right to it, and up she flew!

This afternoon we played a game of catch the ball while you are on top of the rock, without falling off afterward. She did pretty well!

Fading Fast

Poor Lillie Mae! Her first snow ever, and it is already melting away...

First Snow of 2013

For the first time in several attempts, the weatherman's prediction of snow was correct. At least in fact, if not in quantity. We had a small amount of thick wet snow overnight, that is even now melting away, due to the warm ground beneath.

No matter. It is pleasing to look at and not any inconvenience at all. The big news is that, after five days of rain and more days than that of overcast, the skies today are clear, blue, and the sun is finally out.

Sunday Afternoon Hijinx

The sun finally came out for a bit, and postponed yard work was underway. For a while, at least.

Then Cherie came to her senses and went shopping, and Chloe went to sleep...

Another MF Experiment

A test with my other manual focus lens, an old Pentax 50mm 1.4 Super Takumar, which had been gathering dust (not really - well protected) in a camera bag upstairs. Actually forgot I had these two.

This lens is much harder to work with, due to the focal length and the wide aperture. A really long focus throw, perhaps too loose after all these years. But when you nail it - I was focussing on her left eye - the results are very nice. The Fuji X Pro1 sensor is almost perfect for these 1950s era lenses...

Morning Routine Minus One

A foggy morning, warm for January, and another trek to the newspapers while tossing frisbee. This time I continued my experiments with the Nikon manual focus lens — looks pretty sharp to me.

For some reason Ellie the neighbor dog did not show up this morning. Maybe she has a spa appointment. So it was just the three of us, awaiting the Queen's return from Miami.

Sharp Start to the New Year

This was my first walk-around using an old manual focus lens, in this case the Nikon 28mm 2.4 AIS, on my Fuji X Pro1. A very sharp lens!. This translates to a 42mm in the APSC multiplier — in between the traditional 35 and 50mm formats. Another good point about this lens is its close focusing distance.

To get this shot I had to estimate the exposure and, of course, focus the lens by hand. The X Pro1 has a focus magnification capability that makes this easier.

Birthday Week!

The menu was prime rib, twice-baked potatoes, and spinach. A custom made coconut cake, big as a house, was adorned with the requisite number of candles. More to follow...

Christmas in Jefferson City

Just click the doggie, and cycle through...

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Merry Christmas!

Reports are in from Missouri and it seems this year's Christmas was a resounding success! Good food, good times, good presents and a lot of good time with family.

Christmas Dinner a la Francaise

Flaunting tradition, I made a typical Easter dish for Christmas: rack of lamb with a persillade crust. Made the fresh breadcrumbs with the Vitamix. (Not only does the Vitamix clean itself, but you never have to disassemble it or worry about a lot of loose parts falling around!) Works great, thank you charming wife!

It has been my experience that dogs really love the smell of lamb cooking in the oven.

It has been my experience that dogs really love the smell of lamb cooking in the oven. Our two girls are no exception. Lillie Mae was turning in circles and speaking in tongues by the time this was ready. Chloe just put her book down, took off her glasses and joined her sister awaiting treats.

Christmas Morning 2012

The rain has departed, it is getting warmer, and we have a wet, low fog. Outside it is uneasily quiet, almost as after a snowfall. But it is a damp, not a white Christmas this year.

Christmas Memories

When she was a little girl, Cherie wanted a train set. As was a somewhat reoccurring theme, Cherie seemed to always want what she was told by her parents that she could not have. And as was also reoccurring, Cherie's parents gave it to her.

My wife seems to have retained every possession that she ever had as a child, hidden in the back of a little-used closet, slipped under the bed in a guest room, nestled in a pile of my things that are gathering dust. And then, when the mood assaults her, these parentally forbidden objects appear in our home, like inanimate shades from the 'fifties, wrinkled, dented, rusty, missing a part or a piece, batteries not included, and all, of course, made in America.

I share none of these burdens with my wife. Because of my gender and transitory upbringing, my oldest possession barely predates our marriage. It is difficult to be nostalgic with a copper pot that you have had for a mere 25 years, and that is in the same condition as it was when new.

So I indulge my wife. Not true. I suppose I envy her. Things came much easier for her, but she has not lost the appreciation of a gift well earned, a forbidden treat surprisingly granted, a small thing made large by time and the memory of Christmas and family and the love of others now gone.

Gift Exchange 2012

My lovely wife and I exchanged gifts this morning, as she is flying out to Missouri later today. (Update: she just arrived in Columbia.) 2012 is "The Year of Technology" for our home, as we gave and received some pretty spiffy gadgets this year. Cherie got a new camera, new Fitbit and some sweaters, while I received a Vitamix. Smoothies coming up!

Christmas Door Decoration

For the past several years we have had custom front door decorations for the holidays. Last year we were not particularly enamored with the results, so my brave (and cheap) wife determined to do her own for 2012. The results are pretty impressive, don't you think?

Official Holiday Photo

The concept this year was to move away from the tradition of front door/wreath and dog photos to one featuring "The Rock" and either a view of the lake, or of the house. And, of course, the dogs.

The setup had us looking into the sun — not very desirable as we were both squinting. Maybe the dogs were too! What do you think?

Christmas Weekend

Only 5 days until Christmas, and it seems like we are winding down to finally accept the fact that it is right around the corner. My Christmas shopping is complete, and this afternoon will be spent wrapping gifts for Cherie. That is a photo of her, above, at this year's light show at Lewis Ginter gardens. Seemed a little less this year, and I did not appreciate the oriental theme for the holiday season, although I do like Eastern design in general.

Copperpenny Court

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