Thursdays Thoughts, A Good Soaking Rain

Yesterday, we had a good soaking rain all day, the first in 

almost two months.  About 3/4 of an inch here.  The earth 

has sucked it all up and we need a lot more, but it's better

 then a poke in the eye with a sharp stick and it brings hope.

Sunday Stills, The Letter F

Wordless Wednesday

Shooting In The Dark

That title has many meanings, shooting in the dark.

We drove by these fields on our way to Dixon yesterday,

They were filled with, Swans, Snow Geese and Mallard Ducks.

I stated, "I wish we had time to stop"

but we had time restraints.

 JS, promised if it wasn't to late we could stop on the way home.

He made good on his promise and we stopped.  As you can see it was 

pretty dark, and countries road in the valley are flanked by ditches.

Trying not to fall in one and watch for on coming cars, JS was very 

encouraging,  and even put the flasher light on for me.

The birds were in flight, that made the shots more interesting. 

The sun was down, that made the shot harder.  They're grainy,

but I'm happy with the look and like the subject. 

  Now I need to work on settings and patience.

As Ansel Adams said,

 "Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer,

and often the supreme disappointment."

Pretty Picture Monday

Click on Photo to  Enlarge

Thursdays Thoughts, Drought

The velvet green hills are still summer brown,

we pray and pray, but no rain to be found.

We ask you God for your help,

our farms and ranches wont survive this drought.

Thursday's Thoughts, Cookbooks

Cookbooks..... Make me weak in the knees...  Love Them!

My mom is a great cook and like most of the women in our family,

didn't get many opportunities to cook outside the realm of 

meat and potatoes.  Fried stake, Fried potatoes.

What's not to like?

Of course no newly wed of my generation would think of starting 

her marital bliss without the traditional Better Homes and 

Betty Crocker's newest additions.

Santa even brings Daughter Dawn and I a new cookbook

every Christmas.  This is my new one.

Mmmmmm................  Bacon

Martha improved my pie baking and pie crust.

"It's A Good Thing"

 Cookbooks have taken some real twist and turns over the years.

I've donated my share of bad ones to the Salvation Army.

About ten years age, Cookbooks turned back to the basics.

Finally!  real cooking, with real food !!!

Here are my old and new favotites.

It's still meat and potatoes and

"Man are they good!"

;D

Wordless Wednesday

Holidays, Oranges, The Biscuit and A New Year.

By now we all have the holidays pack away and

 survived the new year.  Or, maybe still working on it.

It was The Biscuits first Christmas and with four generations

 of family and friends, the kids feet never touched the floor.

It was pretty low key and peaceful even with a house full.

New Years was just JS, me and the two big hair balls.

December had us worried with the freezing temps, 

that not only would we lose our crop but our trees.

But the Harvest Gods smiled on us and we are having

one of the best years ever.

The Biscuit is walking and has two teeth, that she's trying out

 on everything and one.  She has also discovered her voice,

making faces and has mastered the art of stair climbing.

Nanna, went today and bought a doggy fence.

Baby fence......    ;)

Well,       a whole new year in front of us.

It's always like a big empty box setting there.

What to do with it?     What not to do with it?

Me.........   I have no resolutions, no plans and no promises

I think, I'll just see where it leads me.

Sunday Stills, White

Snow would have been a great subject for this challenge,

but do to a lack of it, I went with my old Camellia.