Route 66 in Tulsa

Route 66, the Main Street of America runs through the heart of Tulsa. More miles of Route 66 pass through Oklahoma then any other state.

Wordless Wednesday

After I posted the color version I looked at it in black and white. I decided it was stronger in B&W. What do you think?


Interstate 44 over the Arkansas River in Tulsa, Oklahoma

More Wordless Wednesday.

Oklahoma Seagulls

Seagulls in Oklahoma? Fifty years ago the seagull would not have been on a list of Oklahoma birds, now they are common wherever there are lakes or rivers of any size and that includes the Arkansas River as it passes through Tulsa.

From 1963 to 1971 a series of locks and dams made the Arkansas River navigable to barge traffic from the Port of Catoosa just east of Tulsa all the way across eastern Oklahoma through Arkansas to the Mississippi River, and from down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

Flying in the other direction were a variety of water birds not previously found as far inland as Oklahoma. Now it is common to see seagulls, pelicans, and several new varieties of herons, including the Cattle Heron. Humans are not the only species to have migrated to Oklahoma.

In the Meadow We Will Build a Snowman...

It warmed up to just above freezing today and the snow was perfect for snowballs and snowmen. This young couple was admiring their handy work and perhaps waiting for Parson Brown.

The Sunday After Christmas

Do this in remembrance of me.

Christmas was on a friday and we had plans for a traditional Christmas Service beginning at 11:00 PM with carols and music and ending after a Eucharist just after midnight - Christmas morning. There would be cookies and treats afterward with coffee, or punch and noisey greetings of Merry Christmas.

However, we had 8 inches of snow on top of ice last night and Father Rick prudently cancelled the service. So like the practical folks we are we sang our carols this morning and enjoyed the cookies after church. The roads were still bad in some places but we had a hardy few who showed up ready to sing and had a fine time. The music was fine, or at least enthusiastic, and a most joyful noise was raised.

Afterward Susan and I went to the Olive Garden for a nice lunch in recognition that today is our 7th anniversary. Truthfully, I think we have come to love each other even more as time has gone by.

Sunday Jigsaw Puzzle

White Christmas in Tulsa

Jigsaw puzzle, 80 pieces, rotating. Enjoy!

Snow on Christmas Morning

Christmas morning in Tulsa



See more of the world in monochrome
at The Monochrome Weekly, by Aileni.

We Have a White Christmas!

Sure enough, Santa came while we slept and left lots of presents. Most of them are for Sue's family when they come over for Christmas dinner this afternoon.


Did we get snow? Oh yes, we got lots of snow. In Oslo this would be just a light dusting, but in Tulsa it is a blizzard. 12 inches of snow on top of a thin layer of ice basically shuts everything down.


I got a nice new leather coat, new hat, scarf, and gloves. Merry Christmas to me.


Susan got a new stove with high capacity top burners, self cleaning oven, and digital time and temperature control. Merry Christmas to Susan. Smokey got a strip of bacon. He is easy to please.

Christmas Eve 2009

I love this little creche. We got it several years ago at a church gift shop.

It is Christmas Eve and I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Susan's special Christmas present was delivered today. She has a brand new Kenmore cook stove with high capacity top burners and a big self cleaning oven. She has tested it by making a batch of my favorite cookies. Tomorrow she will further test drive it by cooking a nice roast of beef and potato au gratin for our Christmas dinner. She is very happy. When Susan is happy I am happy.

The bad news is that the weather is terrible. It is well below freezing and sleet and frozen rain has coated streets and sidewalks with ice. It is predicted to continue all night. It is too dangerous for me to get out. I am unsteady on flat dry pavement. Ice is out of the question. That is a shame because it will interfere with our plans for Christmas Eve church services.

We were to take grand children Molly and Will to be part of the Christmas Play and I have been working with our music ministry on lots of special music. Now I'm afraid that not many will be able to attend. Sue's daughter and family are just down the street so they can walk over and we will feast no matter what the weather. Someone must have prayed for a white Christmas. You need to be careful what you pray for.

Wordless Wednesday

Trinity Episcopal Church at 6th and Cincinnati is set for Christmas in classic understated fashion. The exterior doors to the nave are red, the color of the Holy Spirit, and garnished with simple wreaths of evergreen tied with a red bow. Last Sunday was the fourth Sunday of Advent and the time for preparation is almost over. Inside there are touches of cedar highlighted by sprigs of holly with bright red berries. The time has come to decorate the church for the festival of Christmas -- the "Christ Mass" in honor of the birth of Jesus the Christ.

Fellowship Community Church, Tulsa

All across the world the faithful gather to sing and pray and wait to receive the birth of the Christ child, the Messiah, the Anointed One, the lamb of God, God made man and sent to live among us.

Dost Thou in a manger lie

Words: Jean Mauburn

Dost Thou in a manger lie, who hast all created,
Stretching infant hands on high, Savior, long awaited?
If a monarch, where Thy state? Where Thy court on Thee to wait?
Royal purple where? Here no regal pomp we see;
Naught but need and penury; why thus cradled here?

“Pitying love for fallen man brought Me down thus low…
For a race deep lost in sin, came I into woe…
By this lowly birth of Mine, sinner riches shall be thine,
Matchless gifts and free; willingly this yoke I take,
And this sacrifice I make, heaping joys for thee.”

Fervent praise would I to Thee evermore be raising;
For Thy wondrous love to me Thee be ever praising.
Glory, glory be forever unto that most bounteous Giver,
And that loving Lord! Better witness to Thy worth,
Purer praise than ours on earth, angels’ songs afford.

(This is my most favorite Christmas carol, sung a Capella in beautiful four part harmony)

Christmas Cookies and More

Molly and Will helped Gramma Susan bake and decorate Christmas cookies yesterday after church. They turned out both delicious and very colorful. Good work!

Paul Winter's Winter Solstice Concert

Each year for the past 30 years the winter solstice has been celebrated by a long concert organized by Paul Winter and performed in the cavernous Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York City. Sue and I make a point of listening to it every year and promising each other that next year we will make arrangements to go to New York and attend it in person.

Another year has gone by and we will make a pot of nice tea and listen to it on the radio again. It is broadcast over National Public Radio and can be listened to live on the internet. It is a wonderful night of song and celebration. Perhaps you would like to tune in and join us. If you miss the live performance you can download the music for free at the link above. Happy Solstice and Merry Christmas.

Sunday Jigsaw Puzzle

A nice little art shop in Utica Square in Tulsa.



A little different look this week. Enjoy!

Monochrome Weekend

Utica Place, Tulsa, Oklahoma

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Skywatch Friday

On old Route 66 west of Oklahoma City.

See more big sky at Skywatch Friday.

Beneath I-244 at the Arkansas River

The underside of a bridge is at least as interesting as the view from above. This is one of the 2 bridge sections which carry I-244, the Sand Springs Expressway,

Wordless Wednesday

Historic Route 66 bridge over the Arkansas River in Tulsa Oklahoma. Built in 1915 - 1916.

More Wordless Wednesday.

The Christmas Tree is Up

Our little tree is up, the creche is lit, and it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in our house.


Molly and Will came over after church, we sent out for Pizza, and they helped decorate our tree. Just a small tree this year but it is the thought that counts eh?

Visiting With Santa

Some of you may know that my secret identity is Santa Claus. For six seasons I was Santa at Woodland Hills, Tulsa's largest shopping mall. From 1997 to 2002 I took the chair and asked about 15,000 children per season about their Christmas wishes. It was fun until some health problems forced me to give it up. However, I still have the suit and still do a few gigs for churches and charities.


Saturday I channeled Santa for my favorite charity, New Hope Ministry of Oklahoma. This started as a summer camp experience for children who have a family member who is incarcerated. These kids are a risk of the same fate without some positive experiences and good role models. The summer camp grew into a series of year round experiences and is making a real difference in the lives of these children. Click the link if you are interested in knowing more about it. Santa talked to over 150 delightful children this time.


This spritely elfe is Judy Gann, Episcopal Deacon and the founder and leader of New Hope. As you can see, she is having a very merry Christmas. She has been very nice this year.

Sunday Jigsaw Puzzle

Wood Fence - Second and South Xanthus Avenue


Enjoy the puzzle.

No Parking

No Parking - Whittier Square District

President Obama Receives the Nobel Peace Prize

Today President Obama received the Nobel Prize for Peace in Oslo, Norway. In his blog our friend Renny asked his readers for their reaction. Here is my response.

As an American I am proud that this prestigious award was given to our president. It was awarded based on the man’s potential and not on his accomplishments. It is like providing a very gifted young violinist with an exceptional violin. The hope is that the student will fulfill his promise and rise to the caliber of the instrument. If the committee has chosen well, the world is the beneficiary.

Skywatch Friday

Looking Southwest across the Arkansas River from 41st Street.

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Bill's Jumbo Burgers

Bill's Jumbo Burgers - 2002 E. Admiral Blvd

Wordless Wednesday - Decorated for Christmas

Ready for Christmas - 11 South Yorktown Avenue.  Certain areas of Tulsa have become Hispanic enclaves with colorful remodeling of a latin persuation.

Tulsa GAS Project

Tulsa Girls Art School Project (GAS), 2202 E Admiral, Tulsa

BIX Antiques

BIX Antiques, 2025 East Admiral

Something a little different this week. Here begins a series of pictures from the Whittier Square District. This ramshackle place sells quirky antiques and renovates furniture.  Susan had a broken chair repaired here.

Sunday Jigsaw Puzzle - Old House in Stroud

Old house - Stroud, Oklahoma

Tulsa Skyline from Chandler Park

This hilly area west of Tulsa was once known as Lost City and is now part of Chandler Park. It looks east to where the Arkansas River bends south at the center of Tulsa.

Skywatch Friday

Looking south from 81st and Lewis on the ORU campus with the CityPlex Towers on the left.

See more Skywatch Images at the Skywatch Site.

Rainy BOK Center in Tulsa

The sparkling new Cesar Pelli designed Bank of Oklahoma Center looks a bit damp in the cold December rain. Our nice Fall weather has deserted us.

Wordless Wednesday

Sea of Grass - Texas panhandle, October 2009

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The Road to Santa Fe

When Sue and I drove out to Santa Fe on old Route 66 we came back with more great photos than we knew what to do with. There is a lot of subtle blue and green in this landscape.

Sunday Jigsaw Puzzle

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church,
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Our Son Paul & Family

Beth, Grant, Autumn, and Paul

We are enjoying Susan's son Paul who is with us for Thanksgiving. If you were reading my blog last October you will remember the birth of his son Grant. Paul is in the navy and had to report for duty in South Korea just prior to the birth of his son. Susan flew to Maryland to be with Paul's wife Beth and help with the new baby and their three year old daughter Autumn. Then six weeks later she accompanied them on the trip to Seoul.

Paul's father and Susan's first husband was an Episcopal priest. He was the priest in charge of the church I was attending when he died unexpectedly of complications from surgery. Several years later Susan and I became friends and decided to marry.

Prior to this, Paul attended the US Naval Academy and while a student there introduced a fellow midshipman to the Episcopal church. After his time in the service was completed the friend attended seminary. He is to be ordained an Episcopal priest next week and has asked Paul to be his presenter. Paul was not able to bring Beth and the children with him at this time but came a week early to spend Thanksgiving with us. He did present us with a recent photo of the family. I think you will agree that they are a very handsome family indeed.

Skywatch Friday

Here is a photo from our trip last month down old Route 66 to Santa Fe. Enjoy a blustery day at the Pecos National Park.

See more Skywatch Images at the Skywatch Site!

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Saint Susan started cooking early this morning and started filling the house with wonderful smells. At about 3 o'clock this afternoon she pulled this beautiful bird out of the oven. To go with it were sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, turkey dressing, ambrosia salad, hot buttered bread, and assorted goodies. It was delicious.


Sitting around the table was grandaughter Molly, son Paul, daughter Jennifer, grandson Will, son-in-law Jeff, mother Marjorie, and Saint Susan herself. I am just behind the camera. After dinner we called Paul's wife Beth and kids in Korea and talked with them via Skype.


Willy got a drumstick. It was all good.

A Parting Splash of Color

Almost all the deciduous trees are bare now. The one exception are the October Glory maples. They really stand out. Here is a long row of them in full flame.